The Next Generation
by TsukiyoTenshi
Summary: When the children were sent off to live with Tony, we all knew the Avengers were gone. But what if they weren't? What if something happened to keep them away for so long? As impossible as it may seem, the Avengers are indeed alive. MY take on the film. COMPLETE!
1. The Story

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

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><p>AN: I've had this idea stuck in my head for who knows how long so I just had to get it out. I'd like it if you people out there actually reviewed and offered your thoughts on my story. But know this, despite any flames or just plain bad reviews I get, I'm not going to stop writing until I finish this fic.<p>

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><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxThe StoryxX**

"Can we hear it again? Please?" a five-year-old James begged.

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><p>James Rogers had short reddish-brown hair in a messy boy-cut with most of it hanging down close to his right eye. He had lightly tanned skin and cark-cerulean eyes.<p>

He wore a pair of light-blue pajama pants that had red piping down at the bottom with a matching light-blue shirt that had a white large white star on the front of it with red piping at the neckline and sleeves.

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><p>"More," a five-year-old Torunn agreed, holding a three-year-old Azari, "tell us the story more. Please?"<p>

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><p>Torunn had light blonde hair down to just below her shoulders with a small section tied off with a little red hair-tie, leaving that hair segment to hang down to her chin. She had a pale complexion and sky-blue eyes.<p>

She wore a pair of white shorts and a large dark-blue t-shirt.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Azari had dark skin and very short black hair. His eyes, however, were a stunning amber.

He wore a pair of orange shorts and a red tank-top.

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><p>"Okay," Tony Stark chuckled, an eleven-month Pym in his arms, "one more time then it's off to bed."<p>

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><p>Tony Stark had dark-brown hair down to just below his shoulders with streaks of grey and white running through it. His skin was tanned and he had a light mustache and beard combo in the same state as his hair. His brown eyes sparkled with amusement and affection for the young children in his care.<p>

(AN: I know he's a blue-eyed guy in the film, but I think while the blue eyes suit him, I like the brown eyes he has in the **The Avengers; Earth's Mightiest Heroes** television show on Disney XD)

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Pym had black hair in a almost rightside-up bowl shape. He had pale skin and dark-brown eyes.

Besides his diaper, the baby wore a light-yellow T-shirt.

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><p><em>And there came a day, unlike any other, when earth's mightiest heroes were united against a common threat.<em>

_The Solider, the God, the Knight, the Spy, the Giant, the King, the Pixie, the Ghost, and the Archer. On that day, the Avengers were born, to fight foes that no single hero could withstand. _

_Time traveling conquerors, alien invaders, and masters of evil; the Avengers vanquished them all._

_And finally, when the world was at peace, the heroes built lives of their own. The Solider and Spy fell in love; as did the Giant and Pixie. The King found his queen and the thunder god returned to his kingdom far away from the world of men. _

_And one by one, the children of the Avengers came to be. Children, who would one day, become a new generation of heroes. _

_But in time, evil returned; an evil called, Ultron. Ultron wanted nothing less than dominion over the world, but the Avengers stood in its way. Sadly, their defeat was inevitable. _

_But before they fell, the Avengers hid their children in a faraway place, where they would grow up safe from Ultron's grasp. Because the Avengers knew that as long as the children were alive, there was hope. Hope for the future._

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><p>Tony looked back at the children to see them fast asleep. Smiling, the older man tucked each of the children into their own beds and closed the door behind him as he exited the room.<p>

'_Yes as long as the children were still alive, there was still hope,'_ Tony thought as she walked away, leaving the young group to dream in peace.

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><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	2. Ten Years Later

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

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><p>AN: All right, starting from this chapter is when things will begin to change from how it was in the movie, but only slightly. There will be no major changes until sometime later. But for now I should say that Torrunn's character is one that I have changed a bit, mainly because I felt that she was stronger than the girl wanting to go home in the film. Ah yes, and some of the dialogue that was derived directly from the movie may not be entirely accurate because either I had no clue how to spell it or because the quality of the film I was watching was bad enough for me to not understand what was being said half the time. And while everyone else will be described, James will not, at least not in this chapter.<p>

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><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxTen Years LaterxX**

A tiny boy, about an inch or two in height, zipped through the thick forestry, his body illuminated with a neon-green glow. Not noticing the two amber eyes peering after him through the bushes.

But just as the boy was about the go around another tree and into a clearing, a small bolt of electricity knocked him into the clearing he was heading for. The little boy rubbed his head and was about to fly off again when two hands gloved in black-violet coloured leather trapped him within them.

When the hands opened the young boy could be seen, his arms folded and foot tapping in annoyance.

"Tag, Pym," the boy with the gloved hands said smugly.

"No fair, Azari!" Pym accused as he reverted to the normal height of a ten-year-old.

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><p>Both males had indeed changed over the ten years since we'd last seen them.<p>

Thirteen-year-old Azari had a muscular, but lithe physique. His skin tone hadn't changed and neither had his eyes nor the style of his hair. Only now, he had a few tattoos etched in black on his shoulder hat seemed to lead down onto his back and chest.

He wore a sleeveless black-violet catsuit, a pair of flat-soled boots the same shade as his suit, a pair of gloves the same black-violet as the rest of his attire, and a silver belt was clasped around his narrow waist.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Ten-year-old Henry Pym Jr., or Pym for short, had his black hair still in the rightside-up bowl style; only it was a little messier. His dark-brown eyes shone with irritation against his pale skin. He had a strong, but mostly flexible build.

He wore a black catsuit with a pair of large gold-coloured gauntlets extending from his wrist to his elbows. There was also a pair of what looked like black and gold shin-guards, only these wrapped around the entire shin area and secured themselves under the arches of his feet, which bore a pair of black ankle-length boots underneath the guards. And over his upper chest there was a plate of gold-coloured armor that went over his upper chest and around his back with a green jewel in the front center. He also had a gold belt around his thin waist.

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><p>"'No fair?'" Azari raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you the one who called no powers then shrunk and flew off?"<p>

"Yeah well, I meant no powers for you!" Pym said, rubbing his head before pointing at the African boy.

"Of course you did," Azari said soothingly, though not without an underlying tone of sarcasm which the younger boy caught. "Guess what Pym? You're it." And with that, the older boy black flipped into a tree before leaping away through the tropical foliage.

"Hey!" Pym cried out. "Not that fast! And now powers!" The young boy could only star after the older African male before giving a huff. He shrunk and flew after Azari using the wasp-like wings he grew anytime he shrunk.

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><p>Unknown to the two, another was watching them from the cameras he situated in that area.<p>

(AN: Now this next part I wasn't able to completely understand what with the bad quality I was watching, so if anything's off, I'll fix it soon.)

"DRAKOSTA, adjust environmental controls in the hanger plus two therms," ordered an older Tony Stark, "the Radar Ray-7 needs readjusting and let's get lunch started, shall we?"

"**Commands in progress**," responded the computer.

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><p>"I hope you are well, father," a young girl said, kneeling in front of one of the many stone pillars with an image of a lightning bolt and Thor's hammer over it. "I am training hard, but I also love it here with my family…even if they can be a little annoying now and then. I miss you and await the day we can meet again."<p>

Just then, Pym zoomed in, seemingly unnoticed by the girl. He reverted back to his original size and tiptoed over to a sword stuck into the ground behind the kneeling girl. Putting his arms around the hilt, Pym tried to pull the weapon from the group, but to no avail.

"And father, lastly I beseech thee," the girl added, before getting up and glaring at the young boy, "give me to power to smite Pym once and for all!"

"What?" the pixie-boy shouted in surprise before shrinking and flying off.

The girl lifted the large sword from the ground with ease and with a grunt, she hurled the sword towards the fleeing Pym. Fortunately for the young boy, the weapon missed it's intended target and imbedded itself into the rock behind him.

(AN: Now I will assume that all of you know how the sword looks, so there's no absolute reason for me to describe it.)

"That's not how tag works, Torunn," Azari said from his perch on top of the rock that now had Torunn's sword in it, "you're supposed to run from Pym, not attack us." The dark-skinned male watched the younger boy as he (Pym) hid behind him (Azari).

"I know," the girl known as Torunn said simply, "but I don't like running and that's that."

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><p>Fifteen-year-old Torunn had long light blonde hair down to her hips with a section of it secured with a red ribbon, leaving that section to dangle by her face down to just past her chest. Her once pale skin was now a light tan, and her sky-blue eyes had darkened to a clear cerulean.<p>

She wore a pair of black knee-length tights that looked like they were composed of metal, a black short-sleeved shirt with a female's armor breastplate over it, and mid-calf-length steel boots with a slight heel. She wore a three-inch long solid bracelet on each wrist.

(AN: For the breastplate, picture the top half of the armor Torunn wears in the film.)

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><p>"And today will be the day that you, Pym and James will taste my sword's wrath!" Torunn said to Azari who looked as though he could care less.<p>

"Hey!" Torunn realized. "Where's James?"

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Soon Torunn, Azari, and Pym found themselves standing next to James' bed in his hut.

The Daughter of Thor looked at the junk and clothing spread about all over James' bed and hut and wrinkled her nose in distaste. The three watched as two tan feet popped out from underneath the covers.

"So what is it today?" Torunn asked. "Does he get the sword, the spark or the sting today?"

"It's _His Royal Highness'_ turn," Pym smirked.

Azari gave the younger boy a scathing look. "I hate you, Pym." And with that the African boy walked over to the bed. Azari's tattoos glowed blue as he lifted his index finger and pointed it directly at one of the two feet, releasing a tiny blue spark onto it.

A shout was heard as Azari was thrown out of the hut and into a mud puddle next to the little living space.

Torunn, Pym and a bedraggled James Rogers came out of the hut, James, power-downing the holographic shield that erupted from the large metal gauntlet he wore on his arm.

"If you dorks are all done bothering me now, I'm going back to bed," the boy grunted.

"But you're missing the game!" Pym said as he whizzed around only to end up floating over Azari's shoulder.

"What is your problem James?" Azari asked, irritated. "You've been sleeping all day, missing training, blowing off your chores, and generally being a real pain!"

"Who cares?" James said as he began to walk back to his room. "What am I going to miss? Laundry day? So what if we don't do the chores and train?" He back-flipped over the railing, and landed behind Azari and Pym. "So what? Nothing's ever gonna happen in this place. You (Azari) can act like a King and Pym can act like a superhero. And Torunn can live in her little fantasy land and do whatever she wants for however she wants to. What's the point?"

"The point is to not be such a _jerk_!" Torunn shouted at the older boy.

"Oh right," James said mock-sympathetically, "there's no point for use because our parents are dead. Your dad just abandoned you, it's not like there's still hope."

"My father may have left me here for whatever reason," Torunn said quietly, "but at least I acknowledge him! Unlike you who decides to play off not having parents as nothing more than a simple matter!" and with that, she drew her sword and went to strike James, but instead he brought his shield up in time and so both weapons and bearers pushed against one another.

"Do Asgardians say 'jerk'?" a normal (meaning that he's not in his pixie form) Pym asked Azari as they looked on. The African male could only shrug.

"Your magic sword doesn't scare me, Torunn," James grunted, glaring at the girl.

"Then allow me to show you just how much you _should_ fear my sword!" Torunn retorted.

"That's enough," came Tony's voice.

Pushing away from each other, Torunn and James looked at Tony just as Azari and Pym did.

Ten years had done quite a bit to Tony Stark's appearance. His hair was now completely white as was his mustache and beard.

He wore a red shirt with elbow-length sleeves, a black vest, black pants and black combat boots.

"Tony!" Azari said in panic. "I was about to tell them to break it up—"

"James, Torunn," Tony addressed the two teens, "go to your bungalows and cool off."

"Heh heh!" Pym stuck his tongue out at the two retreating teens.

"You and Azari, too, Pym," Tony added, to which the young boy's mouth dropped open.

"James, wait," Tony called before the boy entered his bungalow, "I know that you feel trapped here with just the five of us, but try not to take it out on your brothers and sister. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at me."

"I'll apologize to them," James said after a moment, "later."

"Your father was never very good at doing nothing, either," Tony told the irritated boy, "You know you can always come and talk to me, James."

"But it's not the same, is it?" James asked. "Like you say, you're not my dad." And with that the teen began walking back up to his room.

Tony could only sigh and look on at the child he considered his own.

Just then, an alarm sounded and multiple red lights began blinking.

"Tony?" Torunn asked as she glided down to the older man.

"What's happening?" Pym asked, flying around in his tiny form. "What are all these lights? And that noise?"

The group of four could only look on at the man who card for them as his eyes widened.

"Everyone, get inside James' bungalow until I give the all clear," Tony ordered, "NOW!"

Obeying his orders the group went inside the eldest boy's bungalow, but little did Tony know that James had snuck a peek at him as he ran off.

'_What's going on, Tony?'_ thought James before closing the door behind him.

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><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	3. The Ghost

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

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><p>AN: Now I know that because of what ages I've made the children, they are technically no longer children. But sometimes I may use the term to address them as a group.<p>

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><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxThe GhostxX**

Azari paced around James' room until he stepped on what looked like a piece of slime. "Eugh, how do you live like this, James? Haven't you ever heard of cleaning up?"

A fifteen-year-old James could only smile sheepishly as the African male rolled his eyes.

_**T H E~N E X T~a V E N G E R**_** S**

Not much had really changed about James Rogers in ten years.

His reddish brown hair was combed neatly with his fringe falling over the right side of his face, just missing his right eye. His dark cerulean eyes remained the same as did his skin tone.

He wore a dark-blue long-sleeved polo-neck top with a pair of red fingerless gloves that went about two inches past his wrist. He wore a zipped up black collared vest with red accents, a pair of navy-blue jeans with a black belt slung around his waist, and red knee-high boots. He wore red knee-guards and a gauntlet-like bracelet around his right wrist.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R**_** S**

"Why are we hiding out in here?" Torunn suddenly burst out. "We should be out there helping Tony!"

"Maybe it's a new training drill," Pym said optimistically, "Maybe it's—," the young boy gasped, slapping his hands over his mouth. "Maybe it's Ultron," he finished in a whisper.

"What? That's ridiculous; it's not Ultron," James stated. "Probably something stupid, like a fire on the machine level or like that time DRAKOSTA went nuts because of that water main leak. It's _not_ Ultron."

"Yeah you're right," Pym sighed in relief, "there's no way it's—"

Suddenly, James, Torunn and Azari got into fighting positions. Torunn drew her sword as James' gauntlet activated, his holographic shield growing in front of his form. Azari's tattoos glowed blue as his figure crackled with electricity.

Looking to see just what had his siblings ready to fight, he came face-to-face with a battered android phasing through the wall of James' bungalow.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

The robot had a very tan complexion that looked orange with red eyes.

He wore a deep-green form-fitting suit with a portion of it being lime-green. His gloves, boots and tattered cape were also lime-green. Unfortunately, some of his suit was ripped in places, revealing the silver of his metallic body.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"Hello…children," the robot greeted in a slightly monotone voice as his form once again became tangible before collapsing to the floor.

"Vision!" Tony exclaimed as he threw the door to James' bungalow open before running to the fallen android.

"My apologies," Vision said, "The drones in Ultra-City have been upgraded. One was able to damage my immaterial form as I left."

"Were you followed?" Tony asked quietly.

"Negative," the android responded. "Did I set off the alarms? Perhaps my electronic access keys were damaged? And how odd…this doesn't look like the control center."

"Everything's going to be alright," Tony said, taking one of Vison's arms around his shoulders as he began to haul him out of the bungalow, "C'mon, let's get you to the workshop." He turned to the confused children behind him. "Stay here," Tony ordered.

"AAAAHHHH!" Pym shouted as he finally processed just what had happened.

The four broke out of their stupor and rushed out of the bungalow, watching as Tony carried the android away.

"Tony?" James asked, not understanding what was going on.

"Look," Tony sighed, as he continued walking away, "I know you have questions. I promise I will explain everything, but later. Right now I have to take care of my friend. Please, stay in your rooms."

The children of the Avengers could only watch as the closest thing they had to a father figure moved farther and farther away. Leaving their heads filled with questions they needed answers to.

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><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	4. Oops

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

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><p>AN: Now I know that because of what ages I've made the children, they are technically no longer children. But sometimes I may use the term to address them as a group. Now I know I said that I will have changed <em>some<em> of Torunn Character, but keep in mind, that I need to make sure that some of her foreign language comes out once in a while.

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><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxOopsxX**

Tony walked slowly into the same courtyard Torunn had been in just a few moments before. He carried the android over a pillar and placed his hand on the small image of Iron Man's head. Upon placing his palm on the icon, a bright blue light erupted from underneath the man's hand.

Behind the two figures, the center of the courtyard opened up to reveal a wide set of stair leading into an area underground. As Tony and the weak robot stepped into the passage, they never noticed the four sets of eyes watching after them.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"We're going to follow him, right?" Pym asked.

"Yeah," James answered, as if it were the most obvious thing to do.

"Aye," Torunn nodded.

(AN: For those who haven't a clue as to what 'Aye' means, it's an old way of saying 'Yes' or 'I agree'.)

"No, no" Azari said, walking out of the forest area into the clearing, standing in the others' way, "Absolutely not! Tony said wait, so we'll wait. He'll explain everything; we need to respect his wishes." Azari's eyes glowed gold as his tattoos lit up; his body crackled with electricity, creating a very intimidating image.

Torunn whipped out her sword and smirked as it absorbed the power the African boy emitted.

Said boy watched, stunned, and groaned in defeat when his power no longer surrounded him.

"All right, Pym" James addressed the youngest of the group, "You're the Tech-Head, open it up."

The pixie-like boy nodded with a determined grin and in a matter of seconds, the children of the Avengers stood at the head of the hidden staircase.

"Did you guys know that the fountain was a secret door?" Pym asked, excitedly. "Because I didn't and I'm way smarter than all of you!"

Torunn, Azari and James only glared at the smug boy before stepping inside, leaving Pym to shrink and fly after them in a huff, his neon-green glowing body providing a small light source for the group as he flew ahead of them.

"How could we have lived here all this time and not known about this?" Torunn asked one of the many questions running through everyone's heads.

"C'mon!" Pym called out to the trio behind him as a large door opened to let them through.

"Guys, we're going to get in so much trouble," Azari complained as they all continued on.

"Wah wah wah!" Pym retorted.

"Guys, I-I think I've been here before," James said, stopping as he looked around the large room, "when I was a kid."

It was this statement that caused the other three to stop and turn around to look at the reddish-brown-haired boy.

"I remember holding onto this rail," he said, placing his hand on the railing beside him, "I was falling and I remember being scared…"

"Ha ha!" Pym laughed. "That's funny! That sounds like you! Big old scaredy—ah!" the pixie boy spun around to see what he'd bumped into, only to find himself looking at robot that looked like Captain America.

Several spotlights activated, each ray of light falling upon other robots, similar to the one Pym bumped into, in design; but completely different in looks.

"Ah!" Pym cried out in shock as the other three gasped in shock.

"What is this?" Azari asked, finally regaining hi ability to speak.

"These are our parents," James answered.

"He's right," Pym confirmed, "It's just like the story!"

"That's my dad, Giant-Man," the pixie-boy said pointing to the enormous red-suited robot. "That's James' Dad, the Soldier," he motioned to the robot he bumped into, "And his mom, the Black Widow!" he pointed to the robot that looked somewhat like a female. "And Azari's Cat-Dad, the King!" Pym pointed the android dressed like the Panther.

"There's Torunn's dad," Pym said, flying over to the robot that looked like Thor. "…or wait, maybe that's her mom; look at all that hair!"

Torunn had stepped up the android that resembled her father, her hand on the hilt of her sword, scaring Pym away in fear that she would attack him.

"Who's that?" Azari asked, walking over to a robot they didn't recognize.

"It could be the Archer," the blonde-haired girl suggested. "But the Pixie is missing; _and_ the Knight."

"Guys!" Pym exclaimed. "Tony called that robot 'the Vision', right? The Vision is the Ghost!"

The trio looked over at James, who stood in front of the Captain America android.

"Why would Tony keep this from us?" Torunn asked.

"We shouldn't be in here," Azari stated, "If he wanted us to know about these, he'd tell us. Now we should keep going if we're going to spy on him—find him, I mean."

"Wait for me!" Pym shouted flying after the African boy, with Torunn walking after the both of them.

"James, c'mon!" the young Asgaridan girl called out to the boy still standing in front of the robot that looked like his father. "James."

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><p>-Azari &amp; Pym-<p>

A pair of doors opened as a normal-sized Pym and Azari stepped through onto a raised walkway.

"Just relax, old friend," came Tony's voice, "I need to see how extensive the damage is. How did they find you?"

Pym and Azari walked over to look over the side of the walkway to see Tony scanning the Vision while the android lay on what looked like a table of sorts.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

A small panel on the robot's abdomen opened up.

"I was accessing the mainframe," the Vision explained.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"Eww! Robot guts!" Pym made a face.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"All of Europe has been subjugated to the machine forces since my last report," Vision informed, "Drones are gathering along the Pacific rim and Eastern Europe. The invasion of Asia will soon commence."

Vision watched as Tony pulled a pair of Goggles over his eyes and grabbed what looked like a small blowtorch.

"In eleven years he's conquered half the planet," Tony commented ruefully.

"Also, Clint Barton's son is alive," the Vision reported.

At this Tony froze. "What?"

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"Hey, who's Clint Barton?" Azari asked Pym.

"M-Maybe he was the Knight or the Pixie," Pym guessed eagerly.

Azari made a face. "The Pixie's your mom, idiot," Azari reminded, smacking the younger boy upside the head.

"Then maybe he was the Knight," Pym suggested, ignoring the look the older boy shot at him.

* * *

><p>-James &amp; Torunn-<p>

"James, we should go," the fifteen-year-old girl said, walking up to the boy who was the same age as her.

"What if it has my dad's voice?" James asked suddenly. "O-Or if it's programmed to be like him? Or has his memories? D'you think he can hear me?"

Torunn's eyes softened, but could only look away as she had no answer.

"Umm, Dad," James spoke to the android. "Can you hear me? Hello? Are you awake?"

Torunn placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "James it's not your dad; it's a robot. No matter what you do, he won't respond the way you want him to."

Shrugging off her hand, James took a step forward, not noticing that half his foot was in the spotlight focused on the Captain America android. "Sir? Captain America? Are, uh, are you, um, online?"

Somehow the words triggered something because the moment that last word left James' lips, the Captain America android's eyes began glowing a vibrant yellow.

Gasping, the boy jumped back in shock, Torunn looking just as surprised at this development as he was.

(AN: Now this next part wasn't _entirely_ clear so I've had to substitute some things.)

"Iron Avenger, Designation: Captain America. Now online," the robot said, walking forward out from where it once stood. "Accessing mission data banks; Mission Acquired: Destruction of AI-3, Designation: Ultron Commence."

"Ultron?" Torunn commented, looking at James, before both watch the robot walk past them.

"Avengers Assemble," Iron America said, turning around to address the rest of the Iron Avengers, his shield raised as a signal.

As though Iron America's words were the activation keys, each Iron Avenger 'woke up' and began following after Iron America.

"Whoa, wait!" James cried out, the results of his curiosity finally dawning on him. The ground shook as the Iron Giant-Man awoke and walked after the rest of its Iron comrades. "Stop!" James shouted, running after the group of robot heroes. "Uhh, stand down! Stop! Dad!" James tried pulling on Iron America's arm, but to no avail. And so the two children of the Avengers could only watch as the Iron Avengers made their way out of the room they were in before the roof opened in what looked like a launching platform.

* * *

><p>-Azari &amp; Pym; Tony &amp; Vision-<p>

Pym and Azari watched as Tony worked on the Vision. Unfortunately, the pixie-boy leaned over a little too far and cried out as he fell before the older boy grabbed his hand and hauled him back up next to him.

"Thanks," Pym said in relief.

Alas, Tony heard the noise and immediately found the source.

"Azari, Pym," Tony called, "What are you two doing down here?"

* * *

><p>-James &amp; Torunn-<p>

James and Torunn could only watch as one by one each Iron Avenger launched into the sky, with Iron America in the lead.

* * *

><p>-Azari &amp; Pym; Tony &amp; Vision-<p>

Unfortunately, it was just as Iron Giant-Man launched that the ground began shaking, making just about everything tremble with the force of the launch.

A small alarm went off as DRAKOSTA's voice was heard, "**Iron Avengers Launch Sequence Initiated.**" The words 'Irons Avengers Launch' flashed on a screen with some sort of radar.

"Oh no," Tony breathed, face paling, as he whipped off his goggles.

* * *

><p>-James &amp; Torunn-<p>

"Oops," James said as he and the girl beside him watched the last Iron Avenger take to the sky.

"Indeed," Torunn agreed.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	5. Discovered

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: I am SO sorry for not updating in so long! But the computer I would normally use to write was being utilized by my father as he ended up busting his computer. And the new laptop I have…it's Microsoft Word 2007 program has some…issues on my laptop; I have to get that fixed…<p>

But I was also SWAMPED with a ton of work! Sometimes I wonder if I should have signed up for as many classes as I did…

Anyway, the story's still going to be kept as it was in the film for the most part, but there will be a few changes coming soon. I can't remember if they're in this chapter or the next, but the twists are definitely coming!

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please, for the love of all that is good in the world: review!

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxDiscoveredxX**

In a large room filled with moving screens of live footage, stood a silver robot with red accents atop a tall silver pillar with red accents.

"**Energy source detection**," a deep, computerized voice spoke, images of the Earth from space shown on the rotating screens. "**Location: Arctic Circle. Energy analysis matched with fugitive designation: Iron Man.**" Multiple images of sorts of Iron Man appeared on the screens.

"Finally," the robot spoke.

* * *

><p><span>-James &amp; Torunn-<span>

The two teens looked at each other before running off to find Tony and the others.

* * *

><p><span>-Tony, Pym, Azari, &amp; Vision-<span>

Tony typed as fast as he could on the keyboard, all the while, keeping his eyes on the radar that had announced the launch of the Iron Avengers.

"DRAKOSTA, Send reserve power to long-range radar," Tony ordered as Pym flew around in his pixie-form.

"Tony," Azari said jumping down behind his guardian as Pym grew back to his normal size and stood next to the elder teen, "This was _not_ my idea, it was—,"

"Boys, grab Vision's head," Tony commanded.

The two boys looked at each other before turning their eyes to the robot still on the table.

"Hello, Henry. Hello, Azari," Vision greeted.

"His head?" Azari questioned, confused.

"Boys! Now!" Tony said urgently.

Shrugging, Azari went over to the other side of the table, while Pym went to stand right above Vision's head. The Android's chest opened into four panels, revealing complicated wiring on the inside.

"Awesome!" Pym exclaimed as he grabbed Vision's head off of his body.

"Multiple radar contacts," came DRAKOSTA's voice. "Designation: Iron Avengers."

"W-What's going on?" Pym asked as he and Azari walked up to stand beside Tony, one of them on either side of the older man.

Tony could only look at the young boy with a grave expression painted on his face.

"**New contact: South Orbital trajectory**," DRAKOSTA informed as the original six red dots of the Iron Avengers were joined by one more on the radar. Tony's eyes widened as an image of the new dot began processing. "**Designation—**"

"Tony!" came James' voice.

Looking to the door, the group (including Vision's head), saw James and Torunn panting as though they'd just ran a marathon.

"I-I'm sorry!" James apologized. "There were these robots and they looked just like our parents and then—" James spoke no more, seeing the angry look Tony directed at him before turning his attention back to the computer screen.

"I think he already knows, James," Torunn spoke.

* * *

><p><span>-Iron Avengers-<span>

The Iron Avengers flew off in no particular formation to fulfill the duty they were programmed to do.

However, when a streak of red suddenly flew up in the distance, Iron Captain America's eyes zoomed in onto the target, coming to a stop, with the other Iron Avengers halting behind him.

Iron Giant-Man flew up over the halted Iron Avengers, but was too slow to stop the sudden flash of sliver and red from piercing its head.

* * *

><p><span>-Tony, Pym, Azari, Torunn, James &amp; Vision-<span>

"We're leaving," Tony stated, pressing a few buttons as he watched the radar.

"What you mean 'leaving'?" Azari asked.

"Leaving?" Pym repeated. "Leaving as in we're leaving here? But, but, we've never left here!"

Tony could only sigh, a grim look on his face.

* * *

><p><span>-Iron Avengers-<span>

Each of the Iron Avengers readied their weapons, but had no chance as the mysterious figure plunged his fingers into Iron Widow's back.

Red lines appeared on the android's body from the fingers placed on the android's back, causing her once yellow eyes to turn red.

* * *

><p><span>-Tony, Pym, Azari, &amp; Vision-<span>

"Get to the Control Center," Tony ordered, "We don't have much time. Vision will explain."

"Vision?" James echoed, watching Tony move to another screen that displayed images of their home. "What about you?"

"**Alert**," came DRAKOSTA's voice, "**Iron Widow: Offline.**"

Tony's face showed nothing but shock and slight fear at those words. "You _have_ to get to the Control Center!"

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

The entrance closed as the four children of the Avengers ran out to where they were told to go, Pym carrying Vision's head with them, the alarm still sounding loudly.

"**Iron Thor: Offline**," DRAKOSTA's voice informed.

"We shouldn't have left him!" Torunn said as they continued running.

"He told us to!" Azari reminded the blonde-haired girl. "We have to get to the Control Center! That's what he said!"

"**Iron Panther: Offline**," DRAKOSTA notified.

"Those robots, the Iron Avengers?" James asked "Why are they going Offline?"

"The enemy has developed the ability to infect machinery," Vision's head explained. "Corrupting and overriding its programming with its own. There is a high probability that the Iron Avengers have been compromised."

"**Iron Captain America: Offline**," DRAKOSTA reported.

The group of four (five if you count the android's head) as that piece of news was delivered.

"He was the last of them," Vision told the quartet. "Ultron will be coming for us now."

"Wait, wait wait wait!" Pym stuttered. "Ultron? Really? Ultron is coming? Here?"

But no sooner did the young boy say that did the group feel a tremor run through the place they knew to be home. Something blast through what they knew to be the sky, revealing a ceiling made up of hundreds of thousands of hexagonal panels that turned grey. The clear blue and fluffy clouds dissipating as each tile went blank.

Torunn grabbed Azari, James, and Pym, who held onto Vision's head, and flew out of the way before any of the heavy tiling that was blast apart could crush them.

James felt something cold on his cheek and looked up to find snow falling into their home from the outside.

The group could only shield their eyes as a red orb came into view and started floating down into their home.

The children lowered their arms to see who it was, only to come face-to-face with a large whitish-silver robot with red accents.

There was no doubt about it: Ultron was here and he was after them.

"Children: Unexpected," the robot spoke, "Assessment: Potential Threats. Commencing Termination." And with that, the android began powering up an energy beam that shot out of its palm.

But before it could unleash its attack, metallic red and gold arms flung the large robot away from the children.

Iron Man shot his uni-beam from the circular jewel on his chest plate at, pushing the large android back a couple hundred yards.

"The Knight," Pym said softly, as the group ran up to the large suit of armour. "Iron Man."

Iron Man's face mask opened up to reveal the face of the guardian and father figure, Tony Stark. "Get to the Control Center," he ordered the group once again. "I'll hold it off."

"Tony?" James asked, hesitantly.

The sound of rockets reached the groups' ears. They looked up to find Ultron shooting up into the air.

"I'll be right behind you," Tony reassured them. "Go!" His face mask was back in place as he flew up to join Ultron in the air.

"This is wrong!" Torunn said worriedly, grasping the hilt of her sword, which was strapped to her back. "We have to help him!"

"Children!" Vision said urgently. "Do as Iron Man says. You _must_ protect the others, Torunn. Your safety is of the utmost importance. Iron Man will join you shortly."

(AN: Goodness! This part took longer to decipher than I thought it would. The way Vision had said 'You must protect the other, Torunn!' was so mixed up, I had to listen to it multiple times just to catch the correct wording!)

The look on the face of the daughter of Thor contained two things: anger and sadness. Anger because she couldn't help. Sorrow because she knew that what Vision said was true; she needed to protect the others.

Azari placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder before both turned to run after Pym and James.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Iron Man and Ultron threw energy blasts at each other as they zipped through the air, throwing in a few kicks and punches occasionally.

They flew through the semi-artificial forestry, Iron Man activating the two rocket boosters on his back to give him a little more speed. Unfortunately, Ultron was more than capable of catching up to the armoured man.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

The children ran into a large ship as Torunn held onto her sword in case it was needed.

Pym place Vision's head onto a small platform with controls. "Stay, robot-head," the young boys ordered, "We'll be right back."

And with that, the children started off for the entrance to go back and help Tony. None noticed the android's head as its eyes glowed red. They did, however, hear when Vision spoke.

"Vision Override," Vision said, the controls all glowing to match the red of his glowing eyes. "Command Code: CoinJet."

"What?" Pym asked as they all stopped to look at the talking head. "What's a 'CoinJet'?"

They gasped as the doors to the entrance closed and four floor panels opened up to reveal four passenger seats for each person. They watched as a large panel in the ceiling of the launching hatch open up to revel the dark and cloudy, but lightly snowing sky.

"Please take a seat," Vision told the four, "We are launching."

"Launching?" Azari exclaimed.

The ship's thrusters fired up, shooting the ship up into the sky and knocking each of the children into a seat as they tried to hold on.

"No! NO! STOP!" James shouted as he realized what was happening. "Go back!"

But the reddish-haired boy's cries were unheard as ship flew out of the hole Ultron had created in the ceiling.

But once they were out into the sky Pym looked up the window. "Whoa," he breathed as all the children looked wide-eyed at the sight of a crashed airship near the dome they knew to be their home.

* * *

><p>Ultron threw a few punches with the occasional kick at the man in red and gold armour, sending him briefly to the ground.<p>

However just as Iron Man got back up into the air, Ultron grabbed the armoured hero by the shoulder plates. The same red lines that had appeared all over the Iron Widow's body began sprouting from Ultron's fingertips into Iron Man's shoulder plates, attempting to gain control of the armour.

Tony, however, had other ideas. He ripped off his shoulder plates when he noticed traces of Ultron's programming trying to override his own. The armoured man began firing energy beams from his palms at the larger android, Ultron retaliating using the same attack as they whizzed in and out of the trees.

However, when Ultron let loose a giant beam of energy at Iron Man, Tony was knocked across the ground, his armour only remaining on some parts of his torso and legs. His face mask had been blasted clean off along with some other pieces of his armour.

"Struggling till the end: Illogical," Ultron said, tossing Iron Man's face mask at the man. "You must realize: the end is here."

"No!" Tony choked out. "Still…hope."

"False," the large android said immediately. "Hope is a human delusion."

Tony could only watch in alarm as each of his Iron Avengers, now under Ultron's complete control touched down behind the silver and red robot.

"Your Iron Avengers are now under my control, Iron man," Ultron said, lifting the man up by his collar. "And you belong to me."

None noticed the security camera capturing all the footage.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

"It's got Tony!" Pym exclaimed as they all watched Ultron grab their father figure before the screen faded to black. "It's taking him!"

"Stupid robot! Turn this ship around now!" Torunn shouted at Vision's head, James looking on helplessly.

"I will not," Vision stated. "Iron Man sacrificed himself to keep you safe and that is what we will do. Stay safe. Stay hidden. There are parts of the world where Ultron has not breached. Far away from Ultra City. I have set a course for the Savage Land."

"The 'Savage Land'?" Azari inquired.

"That sounds horrible!" Pym responded.

"Parts of it…are quite…nice…and…you'll…" Vision said, his voice fading. "Alert: Reserve Power Depleting. Recharge Re—"

"Sir?" Azari asked when noticed the current guardian's voice stop.

Pym stood up to investigate what had happened to Vision's head. "He's out of juice!" the dark-brown-haired boy exclaimed to his makeshift family.

"Well that's just great!" Azari said sarcastically. "What now?"

"I think I can get him up and running," Pym said, "I'll need to reconfigure his power matrix—"

"We can't just go away and hide while Tony's in danger!" Torunn shouted. "I won't just sit aound and do nothing but hide away!"

"But Tony wanted us safe," Azari argued. "Going after Ultron is the exact opposite of that! James, back me up." His amber eyes shifted to the silent boy looking out the window. "James?"

"James?" Torunn repeated.

"I led Ultron to our home," the reddish-haired boy sighed guiltily. "Tony's gone because of me."

"No!" Torunn shouted. "We won't run! We have to go after Ultron! If not for Tony, then at least for ou parents! Ultron took them away from us for good! For all we know, Tony could still be alive and I, for one, am not going to let him go and meet the same fate as the other Avengers did!"

The three males could only look on at the only female of their little family in silence.

"Pym," Torunn ordered, "Take the controls and head for this 'Ultra City'."

The younger boy grinned as he took a seat at the controls.

"We have the chance to make a difference using our powers and everything Tony taught us," Torunn told the two silent boys softly. "We can't let any of that go to waste. Not when he went through so much trouble taking care of us. It's time for us to repay him for everything he's done for us."

After another moments' silence, James gave a small smile and even Azari's eyes softened.

"Umm, guys?" Pym asked. "Two questions: How do you fly this thing? And Where's Ultra City?"

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	6. Hawkeye

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: All right, starting now, we're going to have major changes. Everything that happened in this chapter was made up by me with the exception of some things so it's nothing little to nothing like the film.<p>

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please, for the love of all that is good in the world: review!

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxHawkeyexX**

The air ship headed towards a glittering city shining in the distance. But inside the ship, none noticed the large rock within the ocean open up to reveal cameras.

Suddenly, the walls of the city opened a few panels to allow large cannon-like guns to extend out. When the airship was in range, the weapons began firing, hitting the ship and blasting it to smithereens, the pieces falling into the ocean.

Behind the cover of the clouds, Torunn held up James and Azari as she stayed in the air with a pixie-Pym holding Vision' head by two wires.

"Okay, fine," the African male conceded, "Maybe they would attack us."

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

The quartet walked along the more narrow and shadowed passages to avoid being seen. When they came to an end, they looked out to see an entire city made completely up of technology and metal.

Wasp-like androids zoomed around as though on patrol while panels and pieces of the city shifted now and then.

The four could only stare at the scene with shock. "Big," Pym whispered voicing their thoughts.

"Our goal is to find Tony," Torunn stated, "but how we do that is the problem. It's not like we can barge in and search this place until we find him."

"Torunn's right," Azari agreed. "We can't just go in without a plan. We'll be noticed and done for in a matter of minutes! Ultron's already after us now that Tony's not here to protect us. We can't risk tipping him off."

"Then what _do_ we do?" James asked.

"We can try to sneak around and keep out of sight for as long as we can," Pym suggested.

The African males nodded. "And we have to avoid fighting unless it's necessary. Pym, if you want, you can shrink so you won't be seen easily. One of us can carry Vision's head."

"But we don't even know anything about this place!" Pym exclaimed softly. "It's like a gigantic maze here! It might take us says to even find out where Ultron took Tony!"

"We know," James told the younger boy, "but Vision mentioned that he wanted us nowhere near Ultra City, so it means that this place is really important. And for now, it's all we've got to go on. As for finding Tony, sure it's gonna take a while, but no one said it was gonna be easy, no did they?"

After agreeing to the slight plan they made, they hopped down into a crevice when there were no robo-wasps in sight and continued on their way. After what seemed like hours of jumping few shifting panels and avoiding the robo-wasps, the quartet felt as though they were getting nowhere.

"Guys," Azari spoke up quietly, "I get this weird feeling we've either been going around in circles or we're lost."

"I know," James agreed. "It feels like we've been walking forever and we still don't have a clue about where Tony might be!"

Torunn was about to give her input when she heard a loud clanging. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw a normal Pym running after Vision's head, which was rolling away from the boy as the platform they were on had a slight decline.

"Pym!" the blonde-haired girl cired out softly, but loud enough for the young boy to hear.

Unfortunately, when Pym did catch Vision's head, he found himself surrounded by a small cluster of robo-wasps with their lasers ready to fire.

And just as one was about to let loose its laser, Torunn sliced through it with her sword, Azari short circuiting some of them with his electricity and James used the many forms of martial arts Tony taught him.

But when they thought they were in the all clear, the quartet heard the loud sound of metal on metal. Turning around, they found themselves face-to-face with the now corrupted Iron Avengers.

"This is really bad," Azari muttered under his breath as they were slowly surrounded.

With their backs to each other, James spoke lowly. "When I give the signal, I want everyone to split up and make a break for it. Keep your communicators on and don't stop till you know you're in a safe place."

Each of them gave a subtle nod and waited.

Just as Iron Thor and Iron Hawkeye were about to fire their attacks, James shouted, "GO!"

Azari and Pym broke off into one direction, James in another, and Torunn in another.

Iron America and Hawkeye went after Azari and Pym; Iron Thor and Iron Widow went after Torunn; and Iron Panther and Iron Giant-Man went after James.

* * *

><p>Azari and Pym ran until they reach what looked like some kind of alleyway that definitely looked too narrow for the Iron Avengers to use to follow them.<p>

And so taking a chance, they ducked into the crevice, only to find themselves dragged into open panels by robot arms.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Torunn flew as fast as she could until she saw what looked like a passageway. The blonde-haired girl ducked into the fissure and landed on the ground before whipping out her sword and taking on a position to face the androids following her.

The moment she saw the Iron Widow, Torunn only had enough time to dive under her sword as the android whipped out her guns and opened fire on her.

Unfortunately, before Torunn could retaliate, she was hit by an energy beam fired from Iron Thor's hammer, knocking her into the wall at the end of the alley.

The fifteen-year-old struggled to her feet, reaching for her sword only to see that it had been embedded into the wall. She never saw the two androids take aim once more.

However, she was surprised when multiple arrows with explosives attached to them were shot at both androids, stopping them for now.

A boy leaped down from heaven knows where and ran up to Torunn.

* * *

><p>The boy looked to be around James' age, maybe even older. He had short and messy platinum-blonde hair that looked almost white with his bangs shoved over the left side of his face, though not covering his eyes. He had slightly narrowed, dark eyes and slightly tanned skin.<p>

He wore a pair of black cargo pants tucked into black mid-calf-length combat boots, and a white short-sleeved shirt. Over the shirt, he wore a long-sleeved black collared jacket with white accents that stopped an inch or two below his chest. He also wore a pair of black fingerless gloves and a quiver of arrows was strapped on his back.

* * *

><p>"You ready to get out of here, beautiful?" the boy asked, holding his hand out to the surprised girl.<p>

"I-I," Torunn stuttered, not expecting to see another person, let alone someone around her age. "I mean, yes."

"Then you'd better hold on," the boy smiled slightly as he shot and arrow off somewhere that had a line attached to it and grabbed Torunn by the waist as he kicked off the ground.

It wasn't until after they were sailing through the air that she noticed that in their haste, she'd left her sword embedded in the wall.

Clenching her eyes shut to prevent her tears from falling, she whispered, "I'm so sorry, father."

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

James as fast as he could, using his holo-shield as a board to slide on when he went down steep slopes.

He could hear Iron Panther getting closer and closer and could practically feel the tremors caused by Iron Giant-Man's large feet.

Just barely avoiding Iron Giant-Man's foot, James stopped as he found himself at the edge of the platform. Beyond that edge, the reddish-haired boy could see no more than the black depths of what looked like an abyss.

However, just as Iron Panther pounced at him, a panel opened up underneath James' feet. The boy let out a sound of surprise before all went black.

* * *

><p><span>-Elsewhere-<span>

A large platform stood in the middle of a place of silver with red accents. A panel in the floor opened up to let through Tony Stark inside a large tube-like container, his hands and feet bound with metal cords.

"It seems you mere existence causes chaos, Avenger," Ultron spoke. Tony looked up to see blocks moving aside to reveal Ultron. "But soon, there will be order."

Tony could only cough from exhaustion.

"These children you have kept hidden," the robot told the trapped man, "they _will_ be found."

"The kids are gone, Machine," Tony spoke with conviction. "Far away from you."

Ultron came to stand before the elder man and leaned forward, almost touching the glass. "False. Like all humans, they are inherently illogical."

"What are you talking about?" the brown-eyed man asked hesitantly, fearing the worst.

"Observe," the large robot said, his arms out wide as holographic screens appeared, showing each of the Avengers' children fighting and within Ultra City.

"No…" breathed the white-haired man in horror as he watched the children he loved like his own fight or run for their lives.

"You will tell me everything you know about them," Ultron spoke forcefully, "or you will leanr the upper human limits of capacity for pain."

Tony only glared at the android as its hand began sparking with violet-coloured electricity.

* * *

><p><span>-Ultra City-<span>

"James!" came Pym's worried voice. "James, wake up!"

Groaning, the reddish-brown-haired boy opened his eyes to see Pym and Azari looking at him worriedly.

"W-What happened?" James asked, sitting up. "Where's Torunn?" He took a look around where they all were. "Actually, where are we?"

Where they were looked like an old run-down building most likely abandoned years ago. Rubble and broken pieces of wood showered every inch of the ground and above was what looked like a caved in roof.

"I don't know," Azari said, he and Pym helping James up, "but it's filthy."

Just then, Pym heard a sound. Turning around, he gave a shout as he found himself looking at what looked like a robot.

The three children of the Avengers backed up until they stood with their backs to each other, James activating his holo-shield.

The figures came out of the shadows to show people in all sorts of armour.

"Robot people!" Azari exclaimed before panic settled in. "This is bad. This is _really_ bad…"

"Mr. Vision, wake up!" Pym said, shaking Vision's head, hoping to wake the dormant cranium. "We need help here! Do you shoot lasers out of your eyes or anything?"

"Hey!" a voice shouted. The three looked up to see a slightly injured Torunn standing with someone they didn't know. "Quit messing around. We gotta keep moving."

"Torunn!" James shouted in relief.

Giving a small smile in return, Torunn leapt down to meet her 'siblings'.

"You're alive!" Pym cried out happily as he hugged her around the waist.

"What? You really didn't think I'd leave, did you?" Torunn asked rhetorically. "Besides," she added quietly with a sly look at the reddish-brown-haired boy, "who'd help James when he's having a panic attack?"

"Hey!" said boy shouted indignantly over Pym and Azari's snickers. "You know I haven't had a panic attack like that since we were seven!" His face grew somber when he took in the tiny cuts and scrapes on his surrogate sister. "What happened to you?"

"I wasn't strong enough," Torunn's face grew solemn, "and I lost my sword, but that's all. I'm fine. I promise."

"Look," the white-haired boy interrupted, "Ultron is wired into every one of his machines. We get spotted, we're toast."

"It's okay," Torunn assured her family, "He's no harm to us. We can trust him." She flew off to follow the boy with James and the rest of their little family following behind.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

The children of the Avengers followed the pale-haired male in single-file as they walked across what seemed to be a sewage pipe.

"So," Pym began, "quick question: Who're you?"

"The name's Barton," the boy replied, "But everyone calls me Hawkeye."

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	7. The Citadel

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: All right, starting now, we're going to have major changes. Everything that happened in this chapter was made up by me with the exception of some things so it's nothing little to nothing like the film.<p>

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please, for the love of all that is good in the world: review!

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxThe CitadelxX**

"_The name's Barton," the boy replied, "But everyone calls me Hawkeye."_

"Hawkeye? The Archer?" Pym asked in surprise.

"Wait a minute," Azari spoke up. "Barton? Do you know a guy named Clint Barton?"

"Okay, kid," Hawkeye turned around and walked up to the African male, "How do you know my dad?"

"'Kid'?" Azari repeated, taken aback. "You're like a day older than us."

(AN: I have decided that Hawkeye will be the same age as James, okay? It just makes it easier for me to remember.)

Pym stepped up to the pale-haired boy. "We think your dad was an Avenger, like our parents."

"Like your parents?" Hawkeye repeated. "Your parents were Avengers? My dad said…he said I was the last! He told me I'd be the last Avenger!" His eyes filled with anger as he picked up Pym by the shoulders and bgean shaking him lightly. "I've been here fighting all this time. Where have you been?"

"Let him go!" James said, walking up to Hawkeye and placing a hand on his arm, telling him to let the younger boy down. "We didn't know."

The pale-haired boy's eyes roamed over each of the four's faces, lingering on Torunn's for littler longer than necessary.

"I thought I was the last one," he said at last, beginning to walk once again, the others following close behind.

They arrived at what looked like an old subway station. With the exception of the debris, trashed missiles and the ruined American flag, the entire place looked fine.

"My father brought people to the underground after Ultron took over," Hawkeye explained, "he taught them how to survive. We live out of Ultron's rule, keeping out of sight, hiding in the cracks. But the machines finally caught my dad. Now I lead the scavengers; I keep them moving. I keep them safe." He took off his bow and quiver and set them to the side as he took a seat on a small crate.

"Awesome!" Pym exclaimed after they all took a seat, Vision's head in his lap. "You can help us rescue Tony!"

"Who's 'Tony'?" the pale-haired boy asked, as he started to make new arrows.

"Your dad wasn't the last Avenger," Azari explained, "Tony was. You know, the Knight? Iron Man? He got captured by Ultron and we're going to go rescue him."

Unfortunately, the reaction they received from Hawkeye was less than expected.

He laughed. "Yeah right, I'm sorry kid," the pale-haired boy said, calming down, "But Ultron doesn't keep prisoners. Iron Man or not, this guy, Tony, is dust."

"No," a calm voice objected, "he's alive."

* * *

><p>They all looked towards the person to see an elderly woman with white hair down to mid-back and light-brown eyes.<p>

She wore a grey long-sleeved shirt with a long red skirt and a lime-green sweatshirt tied loosely around her neck. She wore a pair of worn loafers on her feet.

* * *

><p>"If Tony was captured," the woman said, walking up to the group, "Ultron has him in the Citadel."<p>

"Tony's alive? Really?" James asked hopefully with a determined face as he and his 'siblings' walked up to the woman.

"Don't even listen to her," Hawkeye told the group, "she's crazy."

"No!" James protested. "If there's a chance he's alive, we're going after him. We're going to this Citadel." He walked up to Hawkeye and held his hand out. "We could use a hand."

The pale-haired boy looked at the offered hand for a minute before turning back to his arrows. "I've got better things to do than get disintegrated."

"Did your father give up this easily?" James asked without thinking.

Hawkeye gritted his teeth as he towered over the reddish-haired boy. "If you bring up my father one more time, I will punch you in the face." His eyes strayed over to Torunn once again. "Fine! Your funeral. I'll show you how to get there. After that, you're on your own."

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Azari leapt from ledge to ledge and climbed up the thick pipes after James.

Hawkeye and a few of the other scavengers as well as Torunn and Pym watched the two males make their way out to the surface.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Pym asked. "You could shoot arrows at Ultron. It'll be fun! C'mon!"

"Stay safe, beautiful," Hawkeye winked at Torunn, causing the blonde-haired girl to blush lightly.

"You, too," she said almost shyly before leaping into the air and flying off after her 'brothers'.

"We'll be back for Vision's head," a pixie-Pym told the group, "Take good care of him!"

They all watched until the neon-green of Pym's body was nowhere in sight. The scavengers turned to look at Hawkeye.

"What?" the pale-haired boy asked after a moment. "We have to look after ourselves." He walked off.

* * *

><p>Azari and James climbed up a stray wire as Torunn and Pym flew behind them until they reach a small gap.<p>

James carefully made his way out of the crevice and looked out to make sure there was no one and nothing around.

"All clear," James reported, "Pym, Azari. C'mon."

Pym and Azari followed the reddish-brown-haired boy as Torunn brought up the rear. They all landed on a road of sorts that had a track pattern on it.

"The tower. It's heading for the Citadel," James said, looking at the large structure moving towards them, "C'mon."

They waited until the large metal structure was close enough for them to climb onto. James climbed up a wire as Azari leapt from side to side with Torunn and Pym flying up behind the two. "C'mon," James called quietly, "Hawkeye said the engine's at the top of the tower."

"We're not gonna make it!" James said as they got closer to the Citadel. Torunn sped and grabbed Azari's wrist in one hand and James' foot in the other as she flew them up to the top of the tower.

"Is getting crushed part of the plan?" Pym asked as they all watched what seemed to be a solid wall get closer and closer.

"Great!" Pym exclaimed as the tower connected to the side of the citadel, trapping them inside. "Now what?"

"See what you can do about that door," James ordered as Azari's tattoos lit up.

"Right," Pym said, seeing a keypad just off to the side. He flew over to key pad and began inspecting it. After a few seconds he called out to the others. "Hey! Azari can open this!"

"What?" James asked as everyone looked baffled. "How do you know?"

"It's just like the maintenance hatches at home," the pixie boy explained.

Lifting his hand to the keypad, Azari let loose a tiny trickle of electricity into the lock. After a second, the doors opened to reveal a dark corridor.

"Hey, Azari," Pym said, "You go first."

The African male carefully leapt into the corridor with a normal-sized Pym strolling after. But a few seconds after Pym went in, the walls began pulling apart and rearranging themselves.

James and Torunn could only watch on in apprehension as they watched their 'siblings' cross the now deemed dangerous path.

Azari and Pym ran as quickly as they could to the other side as the floor began giving out. "Pym!" the African male called out as he saw the younger boy fall off the collapsing path, giving a yelp. "Just kidding," the younger boy grinned as he flew back to Azari.

"James," Torunn said quietly, "I'm getting a bad feeling about this. Maybe we shouldn't have come here, after all…what if—"

"It's going to be alright," James said confidently, "I promise." He reached a hand out the blonde haired girl as she flew them across the large gap to meet the other two of their quartet.

"Okay," Azari said slowly, "There's no one here. Maybe Ultron assumes no one would be dumb enough to break in."

"Ha!" Pym laughed. "We showed him! We _are_ dumb enough!"

"Does he know that he just called us all dumb?" Torunn asked James.

"I don't think so," James whispered back.

They heard a sound as Pym stepped on a tile that now glowed red. The red from the tile connected to the platform they stood on, creating another pathway straight ahead to where six lit up cases were displayed.

James recognized something, but to confirm it, he strode over to the cases.

"James, wait!" Torunn called after him.

As he drew closer and closer to the display, he saw the familiar, but broken armour that belonged to Iron Man, or as they knew him, Tony.

"What is all this?" Pym asked, zipping over, Torunn and Azari right behind him.

The three caught sight of Tony's armour and grief overtook their expressions. Azari bowed his head as he clenched his fists, Pym's face drained of his usual personality, and Torunn…Torunn sobbed lightly in James arms as he looked on sadly and in shock at the displays.

Pym went over to look at Wasp's and Giant-Man's displays while Azari went over to check out the Panther's. But James had caught sight of his father's name and found himself looking at his father's mask and beaten, but still sturdy shield.

Unfortunately, as James went up closer to his father's display, he triggered another tile, making the wall panels light up, showing similar display cases; each containing something from a different hero.

"Oh no," Pym said, afraid, "James…"

"It's like," Azari thought aloud, "It's like some kind of trophy room. But that means—"

"C'mon," James said, "Let's go."

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

The quartet walked onto another platform, only to find it empty.

"It's empty," Pym stated, looking around for anything that seemed out of place.

But they all knew better. "Look for some kind of trigger," James ordered. "If this place is like the other place we were just in, we need to press a switch for something to happen."

And so they all began walking around the platform until Torunn's hand brushed against one of the walls. A panel began glowing red as the platform shook slightly. Six large circles glowed red on the floor before they rose, revealing large tubes, each with a different, but familiar person inside.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	8. Escape

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, There will be changes made, but not a lot will be altered.<p>

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please, for the love of all that is good in the world: review!

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxEscapexX**

"What the…" James whispered in shock as he and the others looked at what was in front of them.

There in front of them were Tony and five other Avengers they thought to be dead in a sort of deep sleep inside the large tubes, their immersed in an orange-coloured liquid that filled the containers. But what baffled the four the most was that, all six of the adults looked to be in their mid-twenties or so.

"It couldn't be…" Azari said in disbelief, shaking his head in denial.

"But they're right there in front of us," Torunn reminded them.

"C'mon," James said, snapping out of his trance, "Let's get Tony and get out of here."

"But what about the others?" Pym asked, zipping around in his pixie form.

"We can get them out, too," James said after a moment. "But the problem is how we're supposed to get them out of here. We're just a bunch of kids; besides Torunn, it's not like we can carry them out."

"Maybe we can't," Azari retorted, a thought coming to mind, "But Pym _can_."

"What do you mean?" Torunn asked as Pym threw a questioning look at the African male.

"I get it," James realized, "Pym can go giant and just carry them out!"

"Yeah," the younger boy said, "just one problem: I haven't even been able to practice using those powers yet!"

"Try not to worry and just concentrate, okay?" James told the younger boy. "It's okay, Pym, everything's gonna be all right."

Turning to the cases in front of them, James shot his holo-shields at them, the cases breaking on contact.

"Tony!" the four cried out as they rushed to the man they knew as their guardian all the while helping the other Avengers out of their cases as well.

"Tony!" James said shaking the older man lightly. "Wake up!"

"James?" the brown-haired man groaned before his eyes widened. "Please. Please tell me you didn't just walk into Ultron's trap."

"How do you it's a trap?" a normal Pym asked. "Maybe we're just that good."

"I know because _I built Ultron_," Tony confessed.

"Oh," the younger boy said, the grin sliding off his face, "Well, that sucks."

Just then, the walls rearranged themselves to reveal the Iron Avengers all on different platforms. Another box opened to show Ultron standing there with an air of superiority.

"Do you see, Avenger?" the android spoke. "Rumors of the children's existence already spread among the humans. Superhuman variable cannot be permitted. The children _must_ be destroyed."

The group and Tony moved to stand in front of the unconscious Avengers so as to protect them.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Pym protested. "James doesn't even have any powers!"

"Scanning Avengers Data File," Ultron said in his monotone voice. "Identity Match: James Rogers, son of Steve Rogers aka Captain America, the _most_ dangerous of all the Avengers. He inspired them. And like Captain America, you, James, will be the first to fall!"

Seeing movement in the shadows above, James gave a swift glance to Hawkeye, who took aim at the large android. "Not today, Robot."

Hawkeye's arrow made contact and an explosion was released. But when the smoke cleared, there was no sign of damage done to Ultron.

Ultron turned around to face Hawkeye and only said one word. "Barton." The pale-haired boy gave a small grin in response before shooting off another two arrows at the android.

Ultron raised his arm to attack, but the large blocks of the walls moved once more, creating pathways for the Scavengers to come through with their weapons. They opened fire on Ultron and the Iron Avengers, hoping to give Tony and others time to escape.

"Pym," James ordered, "It's time to grow and get the…others out. Azari help Pym out then the both of you, go with Hawkeye. Torunn, take Tony."

Pym's eyes closed in concentration as he grew to the largest height he could manage, it being on par with Iron Giant-Man's height. Azari helped the unconscious adults onto Pym's hands before leaping off to James again. The younger boy lifted his hands and carefully let off the Avengers inside the paths, a few Scavengers helping to get them away. After seeing the Avengers to safety, Pym shrunk down to his pixie form and zipped off to find James and Azari.

"Scavengers!" Hawkeye called out. "Disappear!"

The Scavengers ceased fire and saluted their weapons in acknowledgement before heading back the way they came. One Scavenger, though, had melted a good portion of Iron Captain America's shield before ducking into the nearest passage.

"Go!" James told Torunn.

Nodding, Torunn took the elder man's arm and slung it over her shoulder while she grabbed onto his waist before taking off after the rest of the Scavengers.

"There is no hope for the Avengers," Ultron spoke, firing a blast a James.

The reddish-brown-haired boy avoided to blast and took off after Azari and Hawkeye, leaping from block to block and ledge to ledge.

"Find them," Ultron commanded.

* * *

><p>-Outside the Citadel-<p>

All around Ultra City, the towers and robo-wasps went on alert to follow their creator's commands.

* * *

><p>-Inside the Citadel-<p>

The blocks within the Citadel began shifting as an alarm sounded.

Hawkeye looked back to see where James and Azari were, only to see them moving, but slowly. "Move it, you two!"

Seeing two blocks about to close them off from Hawkeye, James shot one of his holo-shields off at the space between the two blocks, giving Azari and himself some time to slide through the opening.

Once reaching Hawkeye, the three once again began running towards the exit, blocks and panels still shifting and locking behind them. Unfortunately, when they were about to jump onto another ledge, they were pushed off by another block that suddenly jutted out.

Torunn heard the shouts and saw her 'siblings' and Hawkeye falling from a sheer height. Leaving Tony with Oym, she leapt off after the male trio and caught Hawkeye's wrist, whose other hand grabbed James who took hold of Azari.

"Whew! Cutting close there, Gorgeous," Hawkeye smiled at the blonde-haired girl.

"Better late than never," she retorted.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	9. Truth

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, There will be changes made here in this chapter, but I don't think it's all that much.<p>

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please: review!

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxTruthxX**

-Underground-

"I created Ultron to be a force for peace," Tony explained, "for law and order, but its programming evolved."

Tony, Hawkeye, James, Torunn, Azari and Pym all sat around a small fire, each with a small ration of food. A few feet away were the still unconscious Avengers atop a few blankets.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Tony now wore a pair of black cargo pants tucked into brown combat boot, a brown long-sleeved shirt with some form of armour and a heavy vest. His arms and chest were bandaged and his dark brown hair was tied in a low ponytail with a small scrap of cloth.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

"It believed the only way to bring order to the world, was to control it," Tony told the five children around him, "That's when it turned on us."

"That's why Ultron didn't kill you?" Hawkeye exclaimed, looking up from his lap where he was making new arrows. "Because you're his 'Daddy'?"

"My armour was damaged in the attack," Tony said grimly. "Cap' told me to get the kids to safety," he looked at Hawkeye, "I couldn't get t you in time, Francis."

The white-haired boy only glared at the older man.

"Hawkeye's name is 'Francis'?" Pym said, amusedly. But his humor didn't last long as let out an "Ow!" when the older boy bopped him over the head with one of his arrows.

But just as Tony was going to say something else, a groan was heard. The group looked at one another before their eyes widened in realization and their heads snapped in the direction of the Avengers.

The five children of the Avengers and Tony ran to the other five Avengers to see Hawkeye (aka Clint Barton) and Giant-Man(aka Henry Pym I) awaken slowly from their unconscious states.

(AN: All right, from here on out, I will be addressing Hawkeye as Hawkeye and his father as Clint, okay? And Pym will still be called Pym; while his dad will be called Henry. It just makes it easier for me to write without the confusions in names and identities. The same goes for the rest of the Avengers. I'll be addressing them by their literal names, not their hero names.)

"Ugh, what going on?" Henry Pym I asked groggily, opening his navy-blue eyes. His vision was blurry, but as it began clearing up, he recognized the familiar form of Tony Stark walking slowly towards her. "Tony? Is that you? What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Clint Barton grunted as he sat up.

"Henry, Clint," the dark-brown-haired man acknowledged walking to the man, helping him sit up. "Thank goodness you're all right."

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Henry Pym I had short black hair that was slightly messy at the moment and navy-blue eyes. His skin was pale, and there was not a wrinkle in sight like Tony.

He wore a black bodysuit with small holes that looked as though wires could be connected into them.

(AN: I couldn't remember if he was ever shown in his civilian form in **The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes**, so I'm just making this up)

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Clint Barton had short, wavy, blonde hair that hung just a little above his shoulders and teal eyes. His skin was a very pale tan and like Henry, there wasn't a wrinkle in sight.

He, too, wore a black bodysuit in the same style as Henry.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

"Yeah, yeah, Stark," Clint waved off the other Avenger's concern, "Just tell us what's going on already."

"First, what do you remember?" Tony asked his two comrades.

"I think I was fighting," Henry said, as he closed his eyes, trying to recall what had happened, "I know I was with Janet, but that's all I remember before I think was knocked unconscious." His eyes snapped open as he looked at Tony in realization, "Where's Janet!"

"Calm down, Henry," the dark-brown-haired man placed his hands on his teammate's shoulders. "She's fine; just look next to you."

Doing as the other man said, the black-haired man sighed in relief as he looked at the unconscious woman by his side.

"And you, Clint?" Tony asked, turning to the blonde man.

"Not much," Clint shrugged, "just some flashes of robots and people firing at 'em. And then it's just goes black."

"That's it?" Tony asked in disbelief. "That can't be all you remember!"

"It is, Tony," Henry retorted. "I'm sorry, but even I don't remember too much before waking up here."

"Tony?" James asked nervously from behind his guardian.

The three adults looked to the five children, two in confusion and one in understanding.

"Kids," Tony introduced, "this is Clint Barton, or as you should know him, Hawkeye. And this is Henry Pym, or Giant-man, though he's also called Ant-man." He gestured to each of his comrades as he presented them.

"It's nice to meet you," Henry smiled.

"What he said," Clint said lazily.

James looked at Hawkeye with a strange look, to which the other boy just shrugged.

"Hi, I'm James," the reddish-brown-haired male introduced himself.

"I'm Pym!" the youngest of the five pointed to himself.

"My name is Torunn," the blonde girl nodded her head.

"I'm Azari," the African male gave a slight wave.

"…Francis," the light-haired boy said after a moment, to which he gained odd looks from the rest of the group.

"Tony?" James called. "Can we talk to you for second?"

Looking a little confused, the dark-brown-haired man nodded and followed his five charges to a spot a few feet away from the Avengers.

* * *

><p>"What's up?" Tony asked, looking at the quintet.<p>

"Why don't our parents remember us?" Pym asked, a solemn look on his usually bright face.

"I don't know, Pym," the elder man said quietly, "But I have a hunch."

"What is it?" Torunn asked this time.

"I think it has to do with how Ultron de-aged us," Tony explained to his charges. "I think the longer someone's in it, the longer it'll take for their memories to come back."

"But what about my dad?" the white-haired boy asked. "He's only been gone for five years! That's not nearly as long as the other Avengers and he doesn't even know me!"

"He'll remember, Francis," Tony soothed, "just give him some time."

Francis clenched his fists, but nodded as he felt Torunn put her hand on his shoulder.

"Now, I need to go and give them a run down on what's going," Tony told the five, "do you want me to tell them about you?"

The five children of the Avengers looked at one another in a silent conversation before James answered for all of them.

"Don't tell them anything about us," the reddish-brown-haired boy told the elder man, "At least not yet. They can't remember much, and might not believe you when you tell them. They'll find out when _we_ think it's time."

Tony gave a proud smile to the group. "If that's what you want, I'll respect your wishes." And with that, he walked away to tell his teammates just what had been happening in over the last decade.

"You'll finish what you were talking about later, right?" Pym shouted, to which the older man gave a nod.

* * *

><p>"Okay, Stark," Clint said as he saw Tony walking back with the children going back to sit around the little fire just a little bit away, "Start talking."<p>

And so Tony told them of how Ultron's programming had altered somehow and began taking over the world little by little. He told them how the Avengers had fought as hard as they could, until they were gone, or so he believed.

"But wait," Clint interrupted, "how'd you survive, then? If Ultron was still taking over the world, you should've stayed to fight!"

"I should have, but my armour was damaged and I couldn't do anything," Tony confided, "It was only because Steve told me to go that I left." He looked over the five children sitting around the fire. "I left because I had to protect the last hopes for the world."

Henry looked at the what his teammate was staring at and became curious. "Tony," Henry asked, "Just who _are _those children? They aren't all yours, are they?"

"What?" Tony choked. "Of course they aren't mine! What gave you that idea?"

"Maybe it's the fact that you look like you really care about them," Clint spoke up, "I mean _really_ care about them; like family."

"They're not my biological children—," Tony began explaining, before being cut off by the black-haired man.

"Then whose are they, then?" Henry asked.

Tony's eye twitched. "I'd tell you, if you stopped pestering me!"

Henry smiled sheepishly as he motioned for the dark-brown-haired male to continue.

"As I said, they aren't my biological children," Tony repeated. "But I've raised them for so long that I've begun thinking of them as my own. Their parents were friends of mine, I suppose you could say. But all in all, I took them and we all went to live in a place Ultron wouldn't be able to find us."

From there, Tony began explaining how he'd built robot replicas of the Avengers to fight Ultron, should the need ever arise and that it was through their accidental launch that Ultron had been able to track them down. He told the two Avengers about how he had been capture by Ultron and later the five children they'd met had rescued both him and the rest of the Avengers with the help of the Scavengers.

"I just realized something," Henry spoke. "Tony, you said that this has been happening for over a decade, right?"

Tony nodded.

"Then how haven't _you_ aged?" Henry pondered. "How haven't _any_ of us aged?"

"Actually, Henry," Tony replied, expecting this question to come sooner or later, "We _have_ aged. But When Ultron put us all in the chambers the kids found us in, the serum inside them de-aged and preserved us as we were at a specific age. You've been there for a least a few years, I'd only been in it for a few hours at the most."

"Is that why we can't remember too much?" Clint asked.

"I'm not sure," Tony admitted, "But I think that serum might have done something to our memories as we de-aged. The longer a person is in the serum, the longer it'll take for them to recall their memories."

"Scavengers," Clint muttered as he replayed everything Tony said in his head. "Why does that sound so familiar?"

"Why don't you two get some rest?" Tony suggested. "I promised to finish telling the kids something."

"A story?" Henry guessed.

"Something like that," the dark-brown-haired man answered as he walked back to his five charges.

* * *

><p>Never once did he nor, Clint or Henry ever see T'Challa open his eyes and listen on to Tony before falling back asleep.<p>

"Now where was I?" Tony asked, sitting down on his crate once again.

"Something about not getting to Hawkeye in time," James supplied.

"That's right, I thought Ultron had already gotten to you," Tony looked at Hawkeye, "Otherwise you would have come with the others."

He looked around at each of the Avenger's children. "I raised you all, hopefully, as your parents would have wanted. I owed it to them; Ultron was my fault."

"Why didn't my father help?" Torunn asked.

"Thor left the Avengers when his father, Odin, died," Tony explained, "He said Asgard was his responsibility from then on, not Earth."

Torunn clenched her fists as she listened to Tony.

"A few months after we crashed, the Vision found us," Tony said, watching as Pym took his arm off of where it was atop Vision's head, "He survived by staying intangible; he became my eyes and ears in the real world. He kept track of Ultron's capabilities and movements, trying to defeat him. But I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. So I kept you hidden and I kept the truth from you. Until the Vision told me you were alive, I thought we were the only ones to survive Ultron's attack. I didn't know your father escaped."

"You weren't the only ones, Tony," a feminine voice spoke up.

Turning around, the elder man's amber eyes landed on a woman he readily recognized; it was the woman who had told the children that Tony was still alive. "Betty?"

"The Hulk survived, too," Betty Ross told the amber-eyed man.

"What's a 'Hulk'?" Pym asked.

"The Hulk is a monster," Hawkeye told the younger boy, "that's what my dad said; he used to tell me stories. He said that the Hulk was the strongest one there was."

"What?" Azari said, putting his can of fish down. "Like a monster monster? With fangs and stuff?"

"Francis is right," Tony told them all, "The Hulk was a monster, a creature of pure rage."

James face scrunched up in concentration before he walked up to his guardian. "Is the Hulk strong enough to defeat Ultron?" he asked.

"He won't help you, James," Betty shook her head sadly, "He's too scared."

James' face turned away in disappointment.

"He's hidden from Ultron all these years, too," Tony muttered. "Where?" he turned to Betty.

"Where he always goes," the elder woman told him, "the desert."

Tony turned to look at Hawkeye before stepping up to the younger boy. "_Can_ you help us get out of the city?"

"Yeah right," Hawkeye raked a hand though his light-hued locks. "Help the guy who created Ultron? Who got my dad locked up for so long that he can't remember anything? What do you think my father would have done, Stark?"

"Clint?" Tony raised an eyebrow as he spoke with a hint of amusement and nostalgia in his voice. "He would've punched me in the face. Then, he would've helped me."

"Guess you knew him after all," Hawkeye conceded.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	10. Out of the City

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: This is going to be short, so don't be surprised.<p>

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please: review!

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxOut of the CityxX**

-Underground-

"We've had it for a couple years," Hawkeye stated as he and the others stood in front of a robo-wasp that was powered down. "But the minute you power it up, Ultron will know, he's—"

"Wired in," Tony finished. "I know. But I know how to wire him out," he said with a smirk.

* * *

><p>T'Challa, Clint, Tony, and Henry helped Torunn, James and Azari load up the robo-wasp with whatever supplies they needed.<p>

"We'll buy you all the time we can," a Scavenger told Hawkeye, clasping his hand with his own.

The light-haired male only nodded in determination.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Several explosions sounded off within the mechanized capital as the robo-wasp flew out of Ultra City.

* * *

><p>"You did a good job with them, Tony," Betty said as she watched Azari and Pym sleeping as they leaned on one another, the former's tattoos glowing with each breath.<p>

In the seat across from them were the last two Avengers yet to awaken; Janet van Dyne (aka the Wasp) and Steve Rogers (aka Captain America).

"I should've done better," Tony said as tinkered here and there with the weapons the Scavenger had supplied them with.

"You are being too hard on yourself," T'Challa stated, sitting between Henry and Clint on the seat opposite from where Tony worked.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

T'Challa had short black hair and dark skin that was a shade lighter than Azari's, but with no more wrinkles than Henry and Clint. His dark-brown eyes gleamed in the afternoon sun.

He, too, wore the same bodysuit Henry and Clint wore.

_**THE~NEXT~AVENGERS**_

Torunn looked out of the window as she thought about the day's events, never noticing James walk past her to Hawkeye.

"Everything okay?" James asked, watching the pale-haired boy look out of the window.

"Yeah," Hawkeye reassured. "Yeah, it's just—it's just that I've never been outside the city. It's really big out here."

"That's how we felt when we went _inside_ the city," James grinned. "Why'd you come back for us at the Citadel? After everything you said?"

"The Scavengers look up to me," Hawkeye said simply as though that once statement answered everything. "They rely on me and it's only a matter of time until Ultron wipes out every single one of them. So if you guys have even the slightest shot at taking down Ultron, I've gotta try. Otherwise, what's the point?" He grinned slyly and nudged James. "Besides, anything to impress a girl, right?"

"Girl?" James asked before realization dawned on him. "W-Wait, you mean Torunn? Dude, she's like my sister!"

"So she's available?" Hawkeye asked.

"No, she's not," James said quickly.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	11. Bruce Banner

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: This is going to be short, so don't be surprised.<p>

Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please: review! 50:30

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxBruce BannerxX**

Potted plants and small contraptions filled the large cave, located within a large canyon.

Bruce Banner looked into a pair of magnified eye goggles as he cut off a tiny branch that marred the perfect picture his Bonsai tree made.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Bruce had grey hair growing around the large bald portion of his head and falling just over his shoulders, pale skin littered with wrinkles, and hazel eyes that held numerous emotions swirling around within them.

He wore a loose white long-sleeved shirt, a pair of dark-blue track pants, an orange vest and a pair of brown loafers.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"Om," he chanted as he did a version of the sun salutation.

"Bruce," came a familiar voice.

The man's eyes snapped open as he saw four _very_ familiar people standing at the entrance to his safe haven with five children.

"Oh, come on!" Pym exclaimed. "_That's_ the _Hulk_? The big, scary monster? _I_ could beat him up!"

"No, no, no, no!" Bruce rasped, shaking his head rapidly. "Get out! Get out of here! Please, for your own sakes, you gotta get away from me!"

"Nut's anyone?" Hawkeye said with a bland look on his face, looking to Tony. He never saw the glance Clint had given him.

"Bruce," Tony pleaded, "It's me. It's—"

"Get outta here, Stark!" Bruce shouted, panting at the same time.

"Bruce," came Betty's voice.

Recognizing the voice, the grey-haired man watched as the small group parted for the love of his life.

"It's all right, Bruce," the elderly woman soothed, stepping forward. "Breathe."

"Betty?" Bruce asked in disbelief, calming down as the woman stepped closer and closer to him.

"Well, he's sorta scary," Pym relented, "I guess."

"Shut up, Pym," Azari told the younger boy.

Neither noticed how T'Challa and Henry were staring at them and back to each other, communicating silently.

"You ever notice how Pym's name is exactly like my last name?" the black-haired man whispered to his dark-skinned teammate.

"There is more to this than meets the eye," T'Challa replied.

"Shh," Betty whispered, "it's okay. Breathe." She grasped the older man's hands within hers. "Let it go. We don't want you to get angry."

Bruce released a breath he hadn't known he held in.

"What happens when he get's angry?" James asked Tony.

"Anger makes the Hulk come out," the older man replied.

* * *

><p>"You can't be here," Bruce said, holding a mug as they all sat around a small fire, "It's too dangerous. <em>The Hulk<em> is too dangerous."

Steve and Janet were laying a right beside the group, still unconcsious.

"It's okay, Bruce," Tony said, trying to placate the man that was now undoubtedly older than him, "We just had to get out of the city."

"You know, Banner," Clint spoke up, "you weren't the scared wimp you are now. It's actually a bit disappointing. I was _actually_ looking forward to seeing the big guy again."

"Shut up, Barton!" Bruce shouted.

Just as Clint was going to say something else, Henry clamped his hand over the blonde-man's mouth. "Erm," Henry thought of something to say, "just ignore him."

"Can the Hulk defeat Ultron?" James asked suddenly.

"James!" Tony scolded.

"The Hulk doesn't care about Ultron, Boy!" Banner snapped. "The Hulk just wants to be left alone! You're all in danger. I _have_ to stay here; I _have_ to keep the Hulk _inside_. When the Hulk comes out, bad things happen." Bruce looked at Betty apologetically. "The Hulk won't help you. And neither will I."

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	12. The Plan

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you enjoy the chapter! And please: review!<p>

* * *

><p><strong>-The Next Generation-<strong>

**XxThe PlanxX**

A spark ran from Azari's finger as he traced the wall, coming out of the cave. He saw Torunn sitting at the edge of the cliff with Hawkeye leaning against a rock with Pym sitting atop it. James was nowhere in sight.

"SO what do we do now?" Azari asked, walking up to Hawkeye. "Tony wants us to hide, but—"

"He's right," Torunn cut in. "Face it! We couldn't even defeat the Iron Avengers! What makes you think we can fight against Ultron?"

"We can," came James' voice.

They all looked up to see the reddish-brown-haired boy atop the cliff above the cave.

"And we have to," James continued, "We can't keep running, Torunn. If _we_ don't stand up to Ultron, who will? Or if we don't protect people like the Scavengers? Who will? We _have_ to make a stand. The longer we wait, the more powerful Ultron becomes. He'll never stop hunting us. He'll never stop coming after Tony. _We _have to stop him."

He leapt down from the cliff he was on to land in front of the others.

"We owe it to our parents," James stated. "They're not dead, but there's no way they can fight the way they are now. The Hulk it's the strongest one there is, right? Well, if we can't bring the Hulk to Ultron, we'll have to bring Ultron to the Hulk." He turned to look at the robo-wasp they flew in. "Okay, Hawkeye said that Ultron's wired into every one of his machines. If we power up the ship so that Ultron can sense it, he'll come running."

"I think that's the most words you've ever said in a row," Pym commented.

"Okay," Hawkeye spoke up, "remember when I called Bruce 'nuts'? Well, you've got him beat."

"I _know_ we can do this," James said, poking a finger into Hawkeye's chest, "We can do it together."

"I can't!" Torunn said softly before flying off to another part of the canyon.

"She'll be okay," James assured the rest of them as they looked in the direction Torunn had flown off in. "She just needs time." He turned to face the rest of the group. "Are you in?"

Each gave their own gesture of consent.

They never saw the two figures following them.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"I hope this works," Azari said, unsure, kneeling in front of the large cables within the robo-wasp.

"Me, too," James grinned.

Azari's tattoos started glowing before his body was covered in streams of electricity. He grasped two cord disconnected from each other and let loose a large wave of electricity.

And with that jolt of power, the robo-wasp began hovering slightly off the ground.

* * *

><p>-Ultra City Citadel-<p>

Ultron stood in front of a large screen that clearly depicted the robo-wasp the children of the Avengers had stolen away in. The four pictures of the children of the Avengers were displayed along the bottom of the screen.

He said nothing as what seemed to be his eyes, began glowing, triggering a sort of wake-up call for the Iron Avengers.

Their eyes glowed red as they took off, one by one, to the place where their targets were hiding.

* * *

><p>-Banner's Safe Haven-<p>

"No!" Tony cried out as he, Henry, and T'Challa ran towards the floating robot-vehicle. "James, what have you done?" he asked, seeing them all come out of the wasp.

"We're taking this into our hands," James replied. "Now, who wants to go tell the Hulk?"

"He reminds me of a certain someone," Henry muttered, glancing back to the cave.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"You did _what_?" Bruce shouted as he backed James into the wall, grasping him by the collar.

"Bruce, stop!" Tony tried prying the older man's hand off of the boy.

"Shouldn't we," Azari watched the two men and the boy that was like his brother, "you know, do something?"

"Dude," Hawkeye pointed, "it was _his_ plan."

Everyone stopped, however, when they heard two groans.

Two groans that belonged to the last of the Avengers that lay unconscious.

* * *

><p>-Within the Canyon-<p>

Tears slipped down Torunn's cheeks as she thought about her situation. She was in a place unfamiliar to her, without her sword. And though having her friends and family with her should make her happy, she felt as though she'd lost a part of herself.

"Father," Torunn wept, "I don't know what to do now. Please tell me what I must do."

* * *

><p>-Ultra City-<p>

Androids were trying to pull Torunn's sword out form the wall it was embedded in, but to no avail. Then suddenly, it started shaking until it lifted itself out of the ground.

With its point facing its destination, the sword flew off to its true wielder.

* * *

><p>-Within the Canyon-<p>

_THUD_

Torunn looked up, only to find that her sword was embedded in the ground before her.

"Thank you, father," Torunn smiled through her tears. "I understand now."

* * *

><p>-Banner's Safe Haven-<p>

"What's going on?" Janet asked as Henry helped her sit up.

"I'd like to know just as much as you do," Steve grunted as he sat up with help from T'Challa and Clint.

"We're kind of at Bruce's place, right now," Clint answered, rubbing the back of his neck as everyone, bar the children, sat around the two now awake Avengers.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Steve Rogers had short blonde hair and dark cerulean eyes. His pale skin had not a wrinkle in sight.

He wore the same black bodysuit that the other Avengers wore.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Janet van Dyne had short auburn hair with small traces of black hanging down to just above her shoulders, her bangs spread along her forehead and a pair of deep-brown eyes. Her fair complexion was in the same state as Steve's.

She, too, wore the same bodysuit as the other Avengers.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"'Bruce's place'?" Janet repeated. "When you say 'Bruce', you don't mean…"

"Yeah," Henry confirmed sheepishly, "It's exactly what we mean."

"But why?" Steve asked. "The last thing I remember is fighting something before blacking out."

"The same with me," the auburn-haired woman admitted.

"Let's just say that certain circumstances have led us have to seek shelter here," Tony said quickly, "and leave it at that."

"But where is—" Steve began before he caught sight of the elderly Bruce Banner and Betty Ross.

"What's going on, Tony?" Janet asked as she, too, caught sight of the now old people from their memories.

"I don't have much time now," the amber-eyed man told the two of them, "But afterwards, I'll explain everything."

He turned to his four male charges. "The Iron Avengers are tough, but not invincible," Tony lectured them, much to the confusion of Janet and Steve. "Go for exposed joints, try and surprise them; trip up their programming. Don't get locked down to one opponent."

"What about Ultron?" Pym asked.

"Ultron," Tony's eyes narrowed, "is a different story."

"This plan seemed a lot better when Torunn and the Hulk were involved," Azari said worriedly.

"Whether you know it or not," Tony encouraged, "you've prepared for this all your lives."

"Aye," came a familiar female voice.

They all turned around to find Torunn standing at the mouth of the cave, slightly wet from the rain that had only let up a few minutes back.

"We've been preparing for this moment," Torunn spoke, "and it's time to do what is right. I have my sword and I know what I must do. What we must do." She held up her sword for all to see.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"She acts a lot like someone we know, doesn't she?" Clint whispered to Henry.

"Oh yeah," Henry nodded.

"But why would Tony let them fight?" Janet asked, shaking her head. "They're just kids! They shouldn't even be out there!"

"It seems like there is more to this story then what Tony told us," T'Challa remarked.

Clint said nothing as he watched at Hawkeye with an unreadable look on his face. "Scavengers," he whispered with a glazed look in his eyes.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"She means that in a good way, right?" Hawkeye asked, looking at Azari and Pym.

"Probably better if you don't know," Azari smiled.

Attaching the sword to her back, Torunn made her way to James and placed her hand in his.

"Glad you're back," James grinned.

"You know I wouldn't miss a fight," Torunn winked.

"Indeed," James repeated what Torunn had said during their Iron Avenger fiasco.

Suddenly the ground started shaking, knocking everyone off their feet.

James, Torunn, Azari and Pym ran to the mouth of the cave and looked out at the scene in front of them.

The Iron Avengers had arrived.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	13. The Iron Avengers

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: Okay, I hope you like this chapter! This has to be the longest one I've written for this story yet! I don't think I really changed much, I added more to this scene than there originally was, so just bear with me! Actually, now that I think about it, there's probably only another few chapters left until this story's finished! I'm sorry to say, though, that the Avengers won't be remembering their children yet. I might have them get small flashbacks, but they won't be able to piece the puzzle together. I know that a bunch of people have been wanting them to remember now, so I'm really sorry for that. So I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm stalling.<p>

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>-The New Generation of Heroes-<strong>

**XxThe Iron AvengersxX**

Azari, Pym, Torunn and James all ran to the mouth of the cave, only to find themselves looking straight at Iron Giant-Man.

The large android reared back his arm and let loose a punch at the wall of the canyon, just under where the quartet stood.

The ground underneath the four children of the Avengers crumbled, making them loose their footing as they plunged towards the ground.

"Torunn!" James shouted as Pym shrunk and flew off, dodging the ground and Iron Giant-Man in the process.

The daughter of Thor zoomed down to grab Azari's hand and James around the waist just as they were inches from the ground.

Not feeling the pain he should have from the impact on the hard terrain, James opened his cerulean eyes to find himself watching Iron Giant-Man's foot get smaller adn the ground further and further away from him.

A strand of light-blonde hair came into his line of sight. The reddish-brown haired boy turned his head to find himself looking at Torunn.

* * *

><p>All the adults bar Bruce and Betty had run to the mouth of the cave, or at least what was left of it. They all tried to look for the children on the ground only to find them not there. Tony then brought their attention to the air, where Pym was zipping around and Torunn was flying the other two boys out of danger.<p>

"Janet," Clint said quietly, "is it me or did Pym just shrink and fly off just like you?"

"Not just you," the auburn-haired woman breathed out with wide eyes.

"But how?" Henry whispered. He turned to Tony. "There's something you didn't tell us." It was a statement.

At that point, all eyes were on Tony.

Said man sighed. He knew he couldn't lie to them, so he did what he could while still adhering to the promise he made to his charges. He told them the truth, but not all of it. "Yes, there are some things I haven't told you all," Tony said resignedly. "But I haven't told you because: 1) This neither the time nor place. 2) I made a promise. And 3) None of you remember everything."

"I understand about this not being the time nor place," T'Challa said after a moment. "But what do you mean you 'made a promise' and that we don't remember everything?"

"It's just as I said," Tony replied. "I made a promise not to tell you. And when I said that you don't remember everything, I meant it. You remember some details of what happened to all you before being knocked out. You still haven't regained everything. The de-aging chambers we were put in somehow affected your memories. The longer you were in the capsules, the longer it would take for you to remember."

"Then how do you remember everything?" Steve spoke up.

"I wasn't in there for more than a few hours," Tony answered. "All of you were in there for more than a few years, I'd wager."

After that, no one said a word and just watched helplessly as the children fought.

* * *

><p>Pym began shooting tiny neon-green bolts from his hands at Iron Giant-Man. The android retaliated by shooting lasers out of his eyes at the pixie-boy, only to miss and his the canyon wall.<p>

Meanwhile, Torunn had landed safely on the ground with James and Azari on either side of her. The African's tattoos glowing blue and his body crackling with electricity.

"Here they come!" Azari shouted as they watched the rest of the Iron Avengers touch down just a few feet away from the trio.

"Get behind me!" James ordered as they saw Iron Panther and Iron Widow dash towards them.

Iron Widow's hands flipped over to reveal a pair of handguns that began firing almost immediately at the trio.

"Down!" the son of Captain America ordered once again as he activated his shield, Torunn and Azari in fighting stance right behind him.

* * *

><p>"Isn't that—" Janet pointed to James' shield.<p>

"Yeah," Steve chocked out. "But why?"he looked at Tony.

"That's something that's part of what I didn't tell you," the dark-haired man answered after a moment.

"Were you trying to—" Henry's face suddenly twisted into one of horror.

"Just what are you—" Tony asked lowly before he caught onto what his teammate was thinking. "NO! I'm not creating another group of Avengers with the kids!"

"The what _are_ you trying to do?" Steve asked. "'Cause it definitely looks that way."

"I took them in and looked after them like they were my own," Tony confessed, "But I trained them, not only for their own safety, but also because I knew that would have been what their parents would have wanted." _'After all, it was their last request before I never saw them again.'_

_'That doesn't sound morbid at all,'_ Clint thought sarcastically. _'But why would five kids be the only ones left to fight Ultron? Sure we were out of commission, but there must have been others out there to fight!'_

"He's right," came a voice.

They all turned find themselves staring at a determined Hawkeye.

"We were all that was left of our parents," the pale-haired boy told the group. "That is, until something happened. In any case, Ultron is determined to destroy us and he'll stop at nothing to do it. If we don't fight him now, who will? He already knows about us, so no matter how much we run and where we hide, he'll still eventually find us."

Looking down at the battle, Hawkeye saluted the adults. "Look like it's time for me to join in." He shot an arrow connected to a think cord and buckled himself into a harness that hooked onto the zip-line.

Clint's eyes were unfocussed as he watched the boy swing down, bow and arrows in hand.

_'I know him,'_ the blonde-haired man thought unconsciously. Clint put a hand to his head and gritted his teeth when he heard the far-off cry of a baby.

* * *

><p>Azari bared his teeth menacingly, but was taken off guard when Iron Panther leapt over James' shield and tackled him to the ground.<p>

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

As James continued deflecting the bullets pelting the both of them, Torunn heard a pair of rockets.

Turning, she saw Iron Thor launch into the sky, arms out wide and hammer in hand. She whipped her sword off of her back and gave a loud battle cry as she flew into the sky after the android that looked like her father.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

James, distracted by Torunn's sudden take off, failed to notice the familiar shield headed right towards him. Ducking he looked at the nicked shield, recognizing it as the one he'd seen within Ultron's trophy case.

Turning around, the reddish-brown haired boy found himself face-to face with Iron Captain America running straight at him.

An arrow landed in front of the moving android, stopping it in its tracks. And in that same moment, three arrows were suddenly attached to his chest. They exploded, sending Iron Captain America reeling back a few feet.

Iron Hawkeye flew in, bow at the ready.

James turned to see Francis swinging down a zip-line and unbuckle himself atop a tall rock with a flat surface. But he had no time to think on it as he was suddenly fending off Iron Widow's onslaught of punches.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

The rock Francis stood on top of suddenly gave way underneath his feet after being blown up with an arrow courtesy of Iron Hawkeye. Thinking quickly, the pale-haired boy went into a tuck and roll. He landed on one knee and aimed an arrow at the android.

Letting the arrow loose, Francis watched as it went into Iron Hawkeye's bow, blowing it up.

The robot fell to the ground, seemingly out of commission. When it stood up, it's left arms looked charred and badly damaged.

"Yes!" the pale-haired boy cheered.

Iron Hawkeye held out his right arm, and Francis could only watch as the arm became another bow.

"Aw, come on!" he shouted in disappointment. It wasn't long before he had to dodge the new arrows the robot was shooting at him.

* * *

><p>"Tony?" Janet asked suddenly clam.<p>

"Yeah?" the dark-haired male answered warily. He knew that tone and it was definitely one he hadn't wanted to hear for a while at least!

"Why exactly did you build those things?" the auburn-haired woman asked sweetly. Too sweetly.

"I built them as a last resort," Tony replied cautiously. "It was a back-up plan just in case things didn't turn out the way I'd planned them. When they were accidentally launched, I never knew that Ultron was able to manipulate technology now as well."

"I hear a 'but' in there," the woman growled.

"It seems that Ultron not only connected to them, but he also gave them a power boost," he answered.

* * *

><p>Iron Giant-Man's eyes locked onto Tony before his fist crashed into the canyon wall where the Avengers stood.<p>

The ground gave way from under Tony and the Avengers let out a startled cry as they weren't able to catch him in time.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

James kicked Iron Widow and launched her into a boulder behind him, shattering it and burying the female android.

"Tony!" came Torunn's voice.

Turning around, the reddish-brown haired boy gasped as he saw his father figure falling towards the ground.

Launching himself off of Iron Captain America's shield, James leapt off of a tall rock before using his holo-shield as a board of sorts to surf down the canyon wall, catching Tony just in time.

"Go and hide, we'll take care of things here," James ordered.

Tony nodded and went off to find somewhere to hide, but not before saying "Good luck" to the boy.

"James, is he okay?" Pym asked worriedly, zooming down to the older boy.

The son of Captain America looked at Pym for a moment before taking the pixie-boy into his hand. "Pym, don't be scared," he told the younger boy. "You can do this." He pointed at Iron Giant-Man, who continued to punch the canyon wall.

Letting out a battle cry, Pym flew and slowly lost his wings as he grew until he was just a few inches short of Iron Giant-Man's height.

Landing his feet on the android's chest, he pushed back and he settled safely on the ground while Iron Giant-Man was launched into another canyon wall.

* * *

><p>"Henry!" Janet shouted in shock. "Did you just see that?"<p>

"He grew," said male said dazedly, "Just like me."

"He has both of our powers," Janet said in realization. A flash of a baby went through her head.

Henry said nothing as the image of a hospital room came to his mind.

* * *

><p>-Banner's Safe Haven-<p>

The cave shook from the impact Iron Giant-Man made on the canyon wall.

"Are you just going to let them die out there, Bruce?" Betty asked in anger.

Bruce flinched as another rumble shook the cave, breaking one of the potted plants.

* * *

><p>-Within the Canyon-<p>

"Now what?" Pym's voice echoed, looking to James for guidance as the large android stood up.

"Just hit him, Pym!" James shouted back to the younger boy.

Taking the advice he was given, the dark-haired boy reared back a fist and launched an uppercut at Iron Giant-Man's chin.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Iron Panther dodged the electric blasts being thrown at him, launching himself at Azari.

The African boy whipped off his belt and what was thought to be a mere accessory became a long-staff that crackled with the same electric current his body did.

The staff collide with Iron Panther as Azari blocked off the robot's attacks. And in a quick move, the amber-eyed boy had thrown the larger android over his head.

"Sorry, robot," Azari saluted, the electric current around his body and staff dying down, "I'm just too fast!"

What he didn't expect, though was for the human-looking android to suddenly shift into a large feline form. More specifically: a panther.

Both began circling each other. "Nice kitty," Azari said weakly, backing away from the robo-feline.

Iron Panther pounced.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Thunder rumbled and lightning shook the sir around them as Torunn and Iron Thor clashed weapons.

Swinging her sword vigorously at the android, she didn't notice his hand coming towards her until he grabbed her, knocking her sword out of her hands, and bashed her over the head with his hammer, sending her plummeting to the ground.

Torunn stopped herself in mid-air just inches away from the rocky terrain and summoned her sword back into her hand before taking off for the skies once again.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

James blocked Iron Captain America's fists off with his shield before dodging the last punch and launching the holo-shield at the android.

Iron Captain America held up his shield just in time, causing James' launched shield to bit the canyon wall behind him.

Hearing the crumbling of rocks, the android turned around to see boulders and pieces of the canyon wall that the shield had hit came hurtling towards him.

Seeing the stampede of rocks, James ducked under the larger android just as it was crushed under them.

Iron Captain America's shield landed next to James with a loud clang.

Sensing himself being watched, the reddish-brown haired boy turned around to see Iron Widow perched on a tall rock formation, her gaze locked onto him. Suddenly she lifted her arms, making room for two more arms. All four of her hands then shifted to form four handguns.

Launching herself off of the rock, she sent a barrage of bullets towards James, a few managing to hit his gauntlet, damaging it.

Seeing the shield of his father, James leapt backwards and quickly grabbed it by the prongs on the back of it, using it to deflect the bullets sent his way.

With a shout, James shot his shield at the feminine android, slicing off two of her arms and one on its way back to him.

After receiving the shield, with a cry James had launched himself and his shield at the Iron Widow.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Meanwhile, Iron Giant-man had Pym backed into a canyon wall.

Dodging a punch, Pym, locked both of his fists underneath Iron Giant-Man's chin and set off two simultaneous bolts from them, sending the large android reeling back _onto_ his back.

* * *

><p>"Damn," Clint whistled watching the goings on below, "I have to admit, those kids are good."<p>

"Indeed," T'Challa agreed, "But don't you think there is something amiss with them?"

"Like what?" Steve asked, turning to the dark-skinned male, gaining the others' attention in the process.

"Like their powers or the way they fight," Henry answered, catching onto the King's train of thought. "Or why Tony took these kids in. We know he cares about the peoples' well-being, but outright adopting five kids like that is a little suspicious."

"He said that he owed their parents," Clint said, remembering.

"But what's _that_ supposed to mean?" Janet asked.

"I have a hunch," Henry said after a moment. "But I want to wait and confirm it with Tony before saying anything."

* * *

><p>Pym walked up the fallen android cautiously as the dust cleared away, checking to see if Iron Giant-Man as still, for lack of a better word, alive.<p>

Suddenly, Iron Giant-Man's mouth opened and several Iron Wasps shot out of his mouth and began attacking Pym.

"Robot Moms!" Pym cried out as he tried to fend off the tiny laser blasts the robots were shooting at him.

* * *

><p>There was silence.<p>

"D-Did he just say what I think he just said?" Janet stuttered out.

"He called the robot version of you, 'mom'," Henry answered. "So that must make you his mother in real life as well." _'I knew it.'_

"But I couldn't have had a child!" Janet said in panic. "I'd remember giving birth to him and I certainly wouldn't leave him alone for so many years!"

"We know you wouldn't," T'Challa soothed. "But don't you remember what Tony told us? We don't remember everything. I believe this may be one of the things that needed to be remembered."

"But what does this mean for the other children?" Steve asked.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Henry replied.

* * *

><p>James watched as the Iron Wasps continued to shoot at the younger boy. Launching his hsield at one of them, he knocked it off of Pym.<p>

"James!" Pym cried out in panic.

"Pym!" James called, leaping up to a rock near the large boy. "Get to the Hulk! Tony said anger brings him out, so make him angry!"

"What? Gah, knock it off! Angry? How?" Pym asked.

"I don't know, insult him!" James shouted back. "Make fun of his pants!"

* * *

><p>The Avengers were laughing at what James had told the younger boy. They found it quite amusing, despite the situation.<p>

"'Make fun of his pants'" Clint laughed. "Is that really the best he can do?"

"That's not going to get the Hulk to come out, that much I can tell you," Henry chuckled.

They never noticed Steve looking at the boy as the image of a reddish-brown haired woman came to mind.

* * *

><p>Hearing a large rumble, the reddish-brown haired boy turned around to see Iron Captain America burst out from the rocky prison he was subjected to.<p>

Without another word, the older boy leapt off of the rocky ledge he stood on towards the freed android.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Meanwhile, Pym had finally had enough of the tiny lasers zapping at him. So he shrunk.

The Iron Wasps had crowded around where the young boy was supposed to be, but never noticed when the pixie boy slipped out from beneath the little huddle and zipped over towards Bruce Banner's cave.

"Excuse me!" Pym shouted as he flew by the Avengers.

* * *

><p>Iron Giant-Man stood up and looked to the Iron Wasps, signaling for them to go after the pixie-boy.<p>

The Avengers ducked out of the way when they saw the multiple androids headed their way.

"This isn't going to turn out well," Steve said as they ran out of the cave and ducked into the area where the robo-wasp was parked.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Hulk!" Pym cried out, flying over to the elder man.<p>

"What's going on out there?" Bruce asked. "What's happening?"

"Sorry," Pym apologized before shooting tiny bolts at the elderly male.

"Agh! Stop!" he shouted, backing up towards a wall.

Betty looked ready to help Bruce, but backed away with Vision's head in her arms when she knew it may have been the only way to get the Hulk involved.

But before she could walk out of the cave, Betty stopped and backed away once more back into the cave.

"Argh! Get away from me!" Bruce shouted, swatting at Pym. Unfortunately, only second later, he was hit with a large joint laser made up of the individual lasers of the Iron Wasps.

Bruce collapsed to the ground and his skin took on a pale-green tint.

The Iron Wasps began focusing their lasers on Bruce as Betty caught Pym within her hand. "Pym," she ordered, "Run!"

Unfortunately, neither had time to do that because a blast had sounded and they found themselves looking at the large face of Iron Giant-Man.

A roar sounded from beneath the Iron Wasps' lasers as the Hulk's eyes shone with rage.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Outside the cave, all movement halted when they heard the roar.

And just as Iron Giant-Man was about the rear back his fist once again, a small figure burst through the roof of the cave and straight at the large android's head, destroying it (the head) and sending the headless body plummeting to the ground.

The Hulk landed in front of the fallen android with another roar as he tossed back Iron Giant-man's head and the body of an Iron Wasp.

"Incredible," James said, looking at the green mutant man.

"We're doing it!" Pym cried out, flying up next to James. "We're gonna win!"

The Hulk shouted as he felt someone shoot at him.

Turning around he grabbed Iron Widow and waved her around like she was nothing but a flimsy toy. "Hulk smash!" After pounding the feminine robot into the ground a few times, the large mutant man took a boulder and crushed her underneath it more than a few times, using it like a hammer.

He never saw the red light flying within the darkened clouds. Nor the red beam of light that had brought the green mutant to the ground.

"Did you think I'd forgotten about you, Monster?" Ultron asked, flying down to land on the ground. He reached down and grasped the Hulk by his white hair. "Ultron never forgets."

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	14. Ultron

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: First, I want to say sorry for not updating quickly, but because of all the work the teachers have been dumping on us at school.<p>

Okay, someone who asked why the hell the Avengers didn't help out their kids in the fight. Now, I just want to make it clear that they are all still weak from being locked away for so long. Tony had only been sealed within the capsule for a maximum of a few hours. But the Avengers had been there for YEARS. Staying in one position for that long is bound to make it so that the joints and movements are a little more than stiff and awkward. Yes, they're moving about, but they are still weak from their 'little nap'. But anyway, the Next Avengers had trained for this moment their entire lives. Despite the fact that they're still children, if they're parents came to the rescue, what good would the training have done if they couldn't use it?

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>-The New Generation of Heroes-<strong>

**XxUltronxX**

A red light erupted from the crater Ultron created as the Hulk propelled the android straight into a canyon wall, bringing a large chunk of the rock down on him from the collision.

The green-skinned hero leapt onto the top of the rock that Ultron was buried under. He saw tiny beams of light slicing through the rock, the Hulk hopping to avoid the beams. And then, the boulder burst into tiny pieces, shard flying this way and that out of a cloud of thick dust.

The cloud cleared away, revealing Ultron standing perfectly intact, looking up at the Hulk.

Said creature's red eyes filled with anger as he gave a roar and leapt at the robot, only to be stopped by Ultron with a hand to the mutant's abdomen.

The android tossed the Hulk into a rock wall, the green-skinned mutant grunting as he rebounded off of the wall onto the ground.

The Hulk snarled as he charged at Ultron. But the android stopped him with a sharp jab to his shoulder, triggering a pressure point and rendering that arm useless for the time being. The mutated human growled, rearing his fist, back, only to fall back as the robot delivered a punch to his gut.

* * *

><p>The Avengers watched the Hulk fight a losing battle with Ultron.<p>

"Even Bruce can't take him on," Clint breathed out in shock.

Everyone was quiet until Janet broke the silence. "Wait, didn't Ultron fight alongside us?" she asked. "During the fight with Kang and his time-traveling minions?"

"Yeah," Henry answered, "But Tony said that it somehow went rogue. And no one could stop it no matter how hard they tried."

"Looks like Tony and the kids have a lot of explaining to do when this is over," Steve commented.

"But don't you feel the slightest bit guilty for not helping out?" T'Challa asked, watching the children and Hulk fight the battle below.

"Yeah," Henry sighed. "But what can we do? We have no weapons and if we do more than walk or run, we could injure ourselves. Tony said we'd been in there for a least a decade. So it's understandable that we won't be able to move as well as we did before being locked up."

"I still wish there was something we could do," Janet whispered.

* * *

><p>Azari gritted his teeth as he tried holding off Iron Panther with his staff. The android only growled as it took the staff between its teeth, with its paws pushing down on it at the same time.<p>

The African boy's tattoos began glowing and both his form and staff crackled with electricity once more.

"You're not the Black Panther," he told the robot through clenched teeth before throwing it off him. The electricity that would normally form an orb-like field around him, shaped itself into a panther. "I am!" Azari snarled.

* * *

><p>T'Challa could say nothing as he stared at the young African boy. He'd heard every word the teen had said and couldn't believe it nor what he'd just seen.<p>

_'Why would he say something like that?' _the King wondered before clutching his head.

Images of storms and a small newborn child overlooking a large crowd flittered through his mind.

_'What is happening?' _T'Challa asked himself. _'Are these my memories?'_

* * *

><p>Francis cart-wheeled through the air, dodging the shots Iron Hawkeye fired at him. Hawkeye launched two arrows towards the android, one embedding itself into each foot, rendering it immobile.<p>

As the robot struggled to move, he didn't see that it was this moment that gave the pale-haired male the chance to shoot another arrow of his own. The arrow drove into Iron Hawkeye's head, blasting it to bits.

And just as the robot slumped over in place, Hawkeye stuck one more arrow into his back, the android blowing up entirely this time.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

The Hulk growled as he struggled to get near Ultron as he fought through the android's uni-beam.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Torunn, finally gaining the chance, stuck her sword through iron Thor's middle and sliced him in two.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

James grunted as he launched his shield at Iron Captain America, cutting the robot in half just as Torunn had done only seconds earlier.

James grinned in relief and turned around to see the rest of the battlefield, thinking it was over, only for a frown to appear on his face.

The Hulk stood immobile in front of Ultron before falling to the ground, unconscious.

* * *

><p>"No!" "Bruce!" The Avengers all cried out in shock as they watched the strong, green, mutant fall.<p>

"This is really bad!" Janet whispered, frightened.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"Bruce..." Tony and Betty whispered, their eyes wide in fright.

* * *

><p>"Ultron!" Torunn shouted in anger, pointing her sword to the large android. "We have much to say to thee!"<p>

Ultron said nothing before, without warning, released a blast from the red gem in his chest at the group.

They all leapt out of the way, Pym shrinking down to avoid the blast.

The pixie-boy flew over to the large android and began firing his tiny bolts at it, only to be caught in the beam Ultron had sent from his 'mouth'.

"Pym!" the elder children of the group cried out as they watched the tiny boy land on top of the unconscious Hulk's chest.

Azari let out a snarl, reminiscent of a true panther as the electric field around him once more took the form of a panther. He gathered as much energy as he could and fired it at Ultron. However, instead of having the effect he intended it to, Ultron absorbed the blast and released it at the African boy, the boy's energy combined with Ultron's own proved a force to be reckoned with as Azari was knocked off his feet and sent flying a couple yards.

Torunn growled as she flew off towards the large android, intending to rub it through with her sword. However, her sword couldn't pierce the metal of Ultron's body.

Knocking the sward away as though it were a toothpick, Ultron grasped Torun by the neck, holding her out as she struggled to both get free and hit him in some way.

It was then that Pym woke up to see his family being pummeled by the android. Zipping down to the Hulk's ear, Pym began pleading. "Mr. Hulk, you _have_ to get up! You _have_ to help us, _PLEASE_!"

Ultron squeezed his hand a little tighter around the girl's neck, but looked up as he heard something coming his way. James leapt onto his shield on top of Ultron, forcing the robot to let Torunn go as he fell forward into the ground.

Ultron got up and focused on the reddish-brown haired boy as he fired his uni-beam. James used his shield to protect him from the blast, but struggled because with each step closer Ultron took, the more pressure that James was subjected to.

* * *

><p>"I can't watch!" Janet said, tears gathering in her eyes as she placed her head into the crook of Henry's neck.<p>

Henry said nothing as he wrapped an arm around the young woman's shoulders.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Pym continued trying to rouse the green mutant. "Ultron killed our parents! He's killing us! And-and," suddenly, Pym smirked as an idea came to mind. "And you're scared of him! Ultron's just a stupid robot and he can beat you up! And he said you were ugly! He said that you were a big wimp and that he's strong than you!"<p>

And eye popped open when the Hulk heard the final line Pym had uttered.

James shouted, struggling against the beam as its pressure grew stronger. "And so ends the Avengers," Ultron told the boy before suddenly his head was grasped within an abnormally large green one.

Not feeling the pressure of the beam any longer, James looked up and saw the Hulk roar as he smashed Ultron to the ground, pounding him with his large fists. He roared once again as he literally tore the android in half, pounding the leftover pieces into the ground as well, the red leaving Ultron's body, with only the grey of complete shut-down remaining.

James went over to help Francis up and Azari did the same for Torunn. They all smirked as they watched the 'All Mighty' Ultron's proverbial life come to an end.

"Hulk is strongest there is!" The green mutant shouted, the sound echoing throughout the canyon.

* * *

><p>"He did it!" Steve whispered.<p>

"It's over!" Clint whopped.

"Janet, look!" Henry jostled the auburn-haired woman lightly. "It's okay! They're all okay!"

Janet looked up and saw that what the dark-haired male said was true. It was finally over.

* * *

><p>"Uh-oh," James winced.<p>

"'Uh-oh'?" Azari repeated, going over to James. "'Uh-oh'? What do you mean 'Uh-oh'?"

Glancing to towards the group, the Hulk ran over to them, looming over Pym. The rest of the Next Avengers stood in fighting positions in case the green mutant tried to do something to the youngest of their group.

"Hulk," a soft voice echoed around the canyon.

Calming down slightly, he looked up to find Betty looking down from the edge of Bruce's Sanctuary holding Vision's head in her arms.

"Shrinking Boy," Hulk growled, crouching down to Pym's height, "No sting Hulk anymore."

"Never again," Pym said, knees buckling, "I promise."

And with that, the hulk bounded up to the elderly woman standing at the edge of the cliff.

"Bet-ty?" the Hulk asked, looking down at the woman with soft eyes.

"Hello, Hulk," Betty replied, caressing his rather large cheek in her smaller hand. She turned around and placed Vision's head on a rock before turning back to the green mutant. "Are you ready?"

The Hulk gathered Betty into his arms and leapt off out of the canyon.

Pym sighed in relief as he fell to the ground.

It was finally over.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	15. Protecting Her Family

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: Damn it all to hell! I feel way too sad to end this! I almost don't want it to end!<p>

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>-The New Generation of Heroes-<strong>

**XxProtecting Her FamilyxX**

The children of the Avengers stood, looking at Ultron's remains, no one knowing what to say.

"It's not over," Tony said, walking up to them, followed by the rest of the Avengers. "Ultron's systems are designed to repair, as long as there's enough of him. It might take a while, but he'll always come back."

The group's eyes watched as the wires began moving on their own towards each other.

Torunn's eyes narrowed and flew off to the dismantled robot. "Then we must make sure that he can't come back!"

"Torunn!" James called out, reaching out to stop the blonde girl

She stuck her sword into the ground and gathered one half of Ultron in each hand and began flying off into the sky.

"What are you doing?" James shouted up to the girl.

"Making sure my family is safe," Torunn smiled down at the group.

"Torunn!" James shouted in one last attempt to stop her.

* * *

><p>The blonde-haired girl struggled to breath the farther she went from Earth's atmosphere.<p>

Tiny bits of ice began forming on her skin and clothing due to the temperature, or lack thereof.

Panting, Torunn let out a shout as she tossed one half of Ultron in one direction and the other half in another.

Unfortunately, as soon as she'd done that, Torunn realized that she was running out of air, now faster than ever.

She struggled to take breaths, but to no avail. Slowly, the blonde-haired girl's limbs went limp and her eyes closed as the last of the air within her lungs left her body, leaving her corpse floating aimlessly in space.

But suddenly, a warm light shone down onto the girl, melting the ice that had formed. "Rest, my child," said a deep, though matured voice. "Thee have earned it."

Torunn opened her eyes slowly, finding herself looking at someone she'd only dreamt of meeting.

"Father?" she said softly, reaching out to touch his face, not believing that this could be real.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Thor hadn't changed much in the last decade or so since the Avengers had last seen him. He still had his long hair, the clear blue eyes, and even the same outfit.

The only difference that could be noticed were the fact that he had a long beard with a moustache and a winged helmet placed over his head, leaving his face to be seen

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Thor placed Torunn on what seemed to be a rainbow-coloured surface and knelt down to her height.

"Ye have done me proud, Torunn," the ruler of Asgard told his daughter. "In facing your mortality, you learned the very same lesson that Odin strove to teach me. You learned what it meant to be human. That's why I left you with the Avengers. Because in all the Gods of Asgard, none have the humanity that make a true hero. Come home, Torunn. Come home, to Asgard."

Thor held out his hand and there in the distance was complete settlement of ivory backed by mountains, the entire place sitting atop fluffy white clouds.

"Home," Torunn breathed out as she looked upon the place she was born in. She suddenly tackled her father in a hug. "Oh, father, I'm sorry, but my home...is with my family, on Earth."

"I know, my daughter," Thor said with a heavy heart, "But know that the doors of Asgard are always open to you. And when the time comes, you will be welcomed."

Torunn said nothing as her father continued holding her within his arms and she him.

* * *

><p>Back on earth, Tony placed Vision's head on a stone where it could catch a few rays of sunlight at the most.<p>

He turned back to watch James pacing back and forth with the rest of the children looking worriedly into the sky.

Steve looked as though he wanted to go and stop James' pacing, but stopped himself when Henry shook his head.

"Does someone want to explain just why we have only Vision's _head_ with us?" Janet asked, looking faintly disturbed.

But before anyone could answer her, the clouds began rumbling as a bolt of lightning struck in front of them, momentarily blinding them all.

When the light died away, they all looked to find Torunn standing there with her father, though she wasn't in the clothing had once been in.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

The once-black tights were now a deep-blue and ankle-length, tucked into a pair of silver knee-high boots with a slight heel. Her top had become a long-sleeved dark blue shirt underneath a sleeveless, lightweight silver cuirass shaped to her figure with a silver chainmail skirt that was much lighter than it would seem to be.

She wore a pair of silver gauntlets on each arm the same length as her previous ones. Her hair was left down with a silver headband that had wings coming off of it holding it back with two small sections tied off with dark-blue cord hanging in front of her shoulders.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"I'm home," Torunn smiled through the tears in her eyes.

Laughing the rest of the 'children' went over and caught the girl up in a group hug.

The adults smiled at the small reunion, before they realized just who had come back with Torunn.

"Thor!" they all shouted in surprise, gaining the childrens' attention.

"Hello, my friends," the Asgardian chuckled at their faces.

"Uh, not to be rude," Tony began, "But, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at Asgard since you kind of rule the place now?"

"Oh yeah," Janet said sarcastically, "That's not rude at all!"

"I should be," Thor agreed, "But I also know that there will be questions. Though the answers may be numerous and more complicated than one would believe them to be."

"So does this mean that we're finally going to hear the truth?" Clint asked.

"Yeah," Tony looked back at his wards, seeing them nod. "Yeah, it's time."

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	16. It's All Out in the Open

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: Damn it all to hell! It feels so sad to end this! I almost don't want it to end! GAH! This always happens when I'm about the end a story!<p>

Listen up, readers! The chapter after this one will be the official end!

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>-The New Generation of Heroes-<strong>

**XxIt's All Out in the OpenxX**

The Avengers sat on the ground as the 'children' sat atop a few rocks and boulders.

"So," James began awkwardly, "What do you want to know?"

"Why don't you tell us?" Henry interjected before anyone could say anything. "I have a hunch, but i want to hear your sides of the story, before I jump to any conclusions."

James looked at his 'siblings'. "What do you guys think?" he asked them.

"Well," Pym said hesitantly, "Why don't we tell them the story Tony always tells us?"

"Story?" Janet spoke up. "What does a story have anything to do with what we want to know?"

"A lot," Azari replied.

"Tony?" Torunn asked, looking up at the older male.

He shook his head. "I think it's time for all of you to be the ones to tell the story. I've told you more times than I can say, so I'm pretty sure you all know it by heart now, right?"

"Not me," the pale-haired boy spoke up. "You guys forget that I don't have a clue as to what you're talking about."

* * *

><p>The four children of the Avengers that had grown up together looked at each and nodded.<p>

_"And there came a day, unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes were united against a common threat,"_ James began.

_"The Soldier,"_ the reddish-brown haired boy said, looking at Steve, who stared right back.

_"The God,"_ Torunn continued, looking at her father, who smiled at her.

_"The Knight,"_ the four said together, looking at Tony, who grinned."

_"The Spy,"_ James said, avoiding his father's eyes.

_"The Giant," _ Pym went on, looking at Henry who gave a nod.

_"The King," _Azari resumed, glancing at T'Challa.

_"The Pixie," _Pym spoke again, looking at a ruffled Janet.

_"The Ghost,"_ the quartet said in unison, gesturing to the obsolete head of the Vision.

_"And the Archer,"_ the four spoke again, looking to Clint, who blinked.

_"Time travelling conquerors, alien invaders, and Masters of Evil; the Avengers vanquished them all,"_ Azari continued.

_"And finally, when the world was at peace, the heroes built lives of their own," _Torunn spoke. _"The Soldier and Spy fell in love; as did the Giant and Pixie. The King found his queen and the Thunder God returned to his kingdom far away from the world of men."_

_"And one by one, the Children of the Avengers came to be,"_ Pym told his audience. _"Children, who would one day, become a new generation of heroes."_

_"But in time, evil returned,"_ the four spoke together, _"An evil called, Ultron."_

_"Ultron wanted nothing less than dominion over the world, but the Avengers stood in its way,"_ James picked up. _"Sadly, their defeat was inevitable."_

_"But before they fell," _Azari resumed, _"the Avengers hid their children in a faraway place, where they would grow up safe from Ultron's grasp."_

_"Because the Avengers knew,"_ Torunn finished, _"that as long as their children were still alive, there was hope. Hope for the future."_

* * *

><p>Everyone was silent. The Avengers said nothing, as they processed the story in their heads, and neither did their children, who chose to look anywhere but at the adults.<p>

"I think it's time we gave proper introductions," Tony spoke up, breaking the tense silence.

James nodded to the rest of their group and the children all stood up, shoulder to shoulder, or waist to should in Pym's case.

"I'm James Rogers," the reddish-brown haired boy introduced, as he stepped forward. "Son of Steve Rogers and Natasha Rogers neé Romanoff. AKA Captain America and the Black Widow."

Steve was silent, his eyes wide as he took in his son's form.

"I am Torunn," the blonde-haired girl spoke, stepping forward next to James. "Daughter of Thor and Sif of Asgard."

Thor gave a proud grin to his daughter, who returned it eagerly.

Just as Azari was about to speak, Tony addressed him. "Make sure to state _everything_, Azari."

Grinning sheepishly, the African boy straightened and stepped forward just like the Prince he was. "I am Prince Azari of Wakanda. Son of King T'Challa and Queen Ororo of Wakanda. AKA the Black Panther and Storm of the X-Men."

T'Challa only nodded approvingly at the boy.

"Name's Barton," the pale-haired boy stepped up. "Francis Barton. Son of Clint Barton and Barbara Morse. AKA Hawkeye and Mockingbird."

Clint only smirked as he caught a glimpse of his personality in his son.

Pym shuffled forward nervously, wringing his hands. "I'm Henry Pym Jr., but everyone calls me Pym. I'm the son of Henry Pym Sr. and Janet Pym neé van Dyne. AKA Giant-Man and the Wasp."

Janet's eyes filled with tears and Henry nodded, his hunch having been confirmed.

Almost simultaneously, each of the Avengers, bar Tony and Thor, cried out in pain as they clutched their heads as images and sounds rushed through their minds.

Before Tony could stop them, each of the children of the Avengers, bar Torunn, ran to their designated parent(s).

* * *

><p>"Dad!" James shouted as he knelt next to his father.<p>

"James?" Steve muttered, looking at his newfound son. "James!"

And before the boy knew it, his father's arms were around him for the first time since he could begin to remember.

Leaning back, Steve smiled as tears fell from both of their eyes. "You look so much like your mother," the blonde-haired man told his son, "But you have my eyes. I remember watching you, a little boy, no older than two or three, crying, not wanting your mother and I to leave you." His eyes raked over his son's form. "You've grown so much and you've become so strong. I wish your mother and I could have been here to watch you grow up..."

"Even though Tony never let us feel alone, there was always the empty feeling inside we all had," James admitted. "It was because we never got the chance to know you."

Steve frowned a little. Tony seemed to be quite the constant in the children's lives, and that's not counting the fact that he raised them. Well, most of them at least.

"I'm just glad you're here now, Dad," the reddish-brown haired boy choked back a sob as he tackled his father in a hug once more.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Azari ran over to his father, placing his hands on his shoulders, hoping to ease some of the older man's pain.

When his pain subsided, T'Challa could only look into his son's amber eyes before clutching the boy to his chest.

"Forgive me," the older man said, tears cascading down his cheeks. "I was never there when you needed me."

"There's nothing to forgive," Azari soothed. "You did what you needed to do, and that was to fight to protect the world we live in. Besides, Tony never let us feel like we never knew you. He showed us as much of our parents as he could. He told us a lot about you guys before the whole Ultron dilemma."

The older male couldn't help but frown inwardly at what his son said, but didn't let it bother him too much.

"My son," T'Challa said, moving back from his son, to truly look at him for the first time. "You have been through much since the last time I'd seen you, and you have grown to become a great hero and if there is ever the time for it, an even better Prince."

"Thanks," the boy smiled, but a frown took its place.

"What is the matter, Azari?" the King asked, worriedly.

"What do I call you?" Azari asked. "I mean I should probably call you father, but tha—"

"You may call me whatever you wish, my son," T'Challa chuckled.

"Thanks...Dad," Azari told his father.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

When Francis had reached his father, the older man's pain had already gone by then and just watched as his son ventured closer and closer to him.

"So this is how you turned out, huh?" Clint smirked at his son.

"Got a problem, _Dad_?" the pale-haired male asked, stressing the last word.

"Nah," Clint waved his hand. "I just want to know how you've been these last few years without me."

"We've lost a few Scavengers over the years," Francis said seriously. "There've been a couple newborns, but not many and it's been getting harder and harder to take care of them and everyone with the increase in Patrol Droids, but we've coped. Other than that, we've been surviving as best as we can."

"I see," Clint replied. "How were the Scavengers lost?"

"Some died of natural causes due to age," the pale-haired boy answered. "Others we lost to Ultron's Droids."

The two were silent for a bit.

"Why did you tell me that I was the last one of the Avengers' children left?" Francis asked, breaking the silence. "I didn't even believe the others when I first met them!"

"Kid, I didn't even know they were alive!" Clint tried calming his son. "The Avengers all went their separate ways until Ultron came and began beating the snot out of everyone! We never had any contact with each other over the years except for the occasional message. I knew they would have had children, but when I heard they were gone, I thought their kids would have gone with them. I didn't even know that Tony survived the first wave of Ultron's attack! If I knew what the rest of them had planned for their kids, them I would've arranged for you to go with them to be raised by Tony."

Francis was silent.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

Pym stopped a few feet before his parents, not knowing what he should do.

"Hey," Pym said slowly, walking cautiously to the couple. "Are you guys okay?"

"Pym!" Janet cried out as she reached out and crushed the young boy in her embrace.

"It's great to see you, too," Pym choked out. "But I need to breathe!"

"Janet," Henry said, placing a hand on his sobbing wife's shoulder. "You're cutting off his air supply."

Gasping, the auburn-haired woman let go of her son and watched his take a few deep breaths before reaching out and bringing the boy to sit between his parents.

"We're so proud of you, Pym," Henry smiled softly to his son. "You did great out there."

"I'm glad to see you safe," Janet admitted. "But I wish we could've been there to watch you grow up..."

"It's okay," Pym grinned. "Tony took real good care of us and besides we all had each other!"

Janet and Henry shared a small frown at what their son's statement, but it faded as quickly as it came.

Neither parent said anything as they engulfed their child in their arms.

* * *

><p>"At least something good came out of this entire mess," Tony commented, smiling at the reunited families.<p>

"It turned out well," Torunn spoke up, "because we all disobeyed your orders, Tony. You sent us off with Vision with the intention of keeping us hidden again. I don't know for how long you were planning on keeping us in the dark. But if we never got out and saw the real world, we would never have had the chance to save it."

"But—" Tony protested.

"My daughter is right, Tony," Thor broke in, taking Torunn into his arms. "I know thou had good intentions, but the fact remains that if none of them had never gone out and disobeyed thy orders, thou would be dead and Ultron would have continued to take over the world bit by bit. Who was to say that he wouldn't have found them when they were at the next safe place?"

Seeing the sense in the Norse God's words, Tony shut his mouth and pouted.

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu,<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


	17. Avengers: Assemble!

I do not own The Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow!

* * *

><p>AN: WAAAH! It's finally ending! I can't believe it! I had a real great time writing this and I appreciate all the great reviews that were sent in regards to this! I hope the ending's all right!<p>

Thank you, readers and reviewers, for keeping up with this story! Enjoy this last chapter!

* * *

><p><strong>-The New Generation of Heroes-<strong>

**XxAvengers: Assemble!xX**

"Kids!" Tony shouted. "Come on, we have to get ready to go!"

"What do you want us to do, Tony?" James asked as they all walked up to the older man, their parents right behind them.

"Azari, Pym," the dark-haired male addressed, "Can the both of you get the droid started up?"

"On it!" Pym chirped, as he started to the robot they'd come in. Azari saluted Tony before following the younger boy.

"Pym!" the brown-eyed man remembered. "Don't mess with the controls this time!"

The young boy froze as he rubbed the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile to the man who'd raised him.

Raising a brow, Henry turned to his teammate with his wife. "'Mess with the controls'?" he asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your son's got a lot more of you in him than you'd think, Henry," Tony chuckled. "But if you want, you and Janet can go over to keep an eye on him."

Janet and Henry shared a glance before they both followed after their son, with T'Challa right behind them.

"Torunn, James," the dark-brown haired man turned to them. "Can you go and see if there's anything left inside Bruce's cave that we can use as supplies?"

Nodding, the two went inside the now vacant cave with their respective parent following behind.

"Francis," Tony said, facing the pale-haired boy, "I need you to keep an eye out for any danger. Ultron may be gone for now, but there's no telling just what could come at us because of that."

The boy only gave a nod in consent before starting to climb up the canyon wall.

"What're you gonna do then, Stark?" Clint asked.

"Me?" Tony smirked. "I'm going to go over to our ride and see if I can't get Henry's help to whip up a few weapons for all of us." His face sobered. "The kids have their powers or at least something to fight with. And so far, they've been doing all of the fighting. Because we didn't have the gear we're used to, we couldn't do a thing. It's time we did our fair share instead of leaving it to the kids."

Clint looked at his comrade for a moment "You've changed, Stark," he said finally, "But you did good. With the kids, I mean."

"Sometimes it's necessary to change," Tony replied. "I had four kids to raise and try to give them the parental figure I thought they'd never have."

Nodding, the blonde-haired male turned to follow his son as Tony walked to the droid that was now hovering slightly off the ground.

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"What's wrong, Janet?" Henry asked, seeing the slightly depressed expression his wife wore as they watched their child.

"Tony," she sighed.

"What about him?" the dark-haired man raised an eye brow in confusion.

"I know this sounds a little pathetic," she replied, "But I just realized that Tony knows more about our child, all of the children, than we, their parents, do."

"And you feel left out," her husband finished her thought.

Janet only nodded.

"Janet," T'Challa stepped up to the auburn haired woman, "It is all right to feel this way. Even I feel like this with my Azari. But you must understand that to them, we were dead for over a decade. So it is natural that they look for a parental figure to guide them. Tony was there with them all those years, so you cannot fault him for knowing the children as he does."

"I know," Janet sighed again as they all resumed watching their children.

Henry only put an arm around her should in comfort.

"Hey! Wait a second!" Janet's head snapped up, a miffed expression painted on her face.

"What?" Henry asked, stupified. He could have sworn that she was depressed just a few seconds ago. What _was_ with women and emotions?

He looked over at T'Challa to see him wearing a similarly baffled look.

"In Tony's story they called me a _Pixie_!" the auburn-haired woman shouted. "I am _waaaay_ cuter than some pixie! Besides, I'm The Wasp! Not The Pixie!"

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"It's almost scary," Steve said quietly, watching as James leapt around the cave, looking for anything that could be useful. "They've grown up so much and we haven't been there to see it."

"Indeed," Thor agreed. "I had heard every prayer and message Torunn had uttered to me. There was never a day when I had never missed my little warrior. My only regret to leaving her here was that I would not be able to watch her as she grew. I would only be able to hear anything she sent to me."

"I shouldn't resent Tony for being there for James," the cerulean-eyed male spoke, "and I don't. But he knows more about James, heck all of the children, and was there for them when we weren't."

"Thou hadst no reason to feel guilty," Thor said soothingly, "Ultron had captured thou and our comrades. Thou had no choice. I, however, have much to feel guilty of."

"What would you feel guilty about?" Steve asked, perplexed. "Is this about leaving Torunn here?"

"Yes," the god nodded. "I left Torunn here to teach a lesson my own father, Odin trie so hard to teach me. Leaving her here was not a simple task. Sif and I wanted so much to keep our daughter with us. But we knew that her lesson needed to be learned. And the quicker the better."

"You never regretted leaving her?" The cerulean-eyed asked.

"As I have stated," Thor answered, "it was not a simple task, leaving Torunn here. There have been many a time over the last decade that Sif and I had wanted to go back and bring her home. But the more I had heard from my daughter, the more I realized that she was happier here with her family on Earth than she could have been in Asgard."

Steve could only sigh. "After Natasha died, I've always tried to keep James with me. I was too afraid to lose him like I did her. I promised that I would always be there for him!"

"Everything will get better with time, my friend," the thunder god placed a hand on his former comrade's shoulder. "Everything will be fine."

_**T H E~N E X T~A V E N G E R S**_

"It is time that I return to Asgard," Thor announced. "I had originally come to see Torunn, but seeing thy faces again brings joy and warmth to my heart."

The adults all grinned at the god.

"It was great seeing you, too, Thor," Janet smiled.

He lifted his hammer into the sky, but lowered it and turned to Francis. "Stay away from my daughter if thou knowst what is good for thy safety. But hurt her and thy life is forfeit." And with that, the god held his hammer up once again and disappeared with a crack of thunder and flash of lightning.

The group just stared at the spot where Thor had stood.

"Kid," Clint blinked, "What'd you do to make the big guy mad?"

"Uh..." the pale-haired boy uttered, avoiding his father's eyes. "Nothing," he said quickly.

James just smirked as the pale-haired boy's father just looked at him, knowing he was lying.

Steve raised his eyebrow at his son, silently asking him if he knew something. To which the boy shook his head and kept smirking.

"We need to get going," Tony looked up at the sky, which was beginning to turn a fiery red-orange with streaks of pink and violet.

"Then," Pym spoke up, "can I fly the ship? Please?"

"No!" James, Azari and Torunn shouted before any of the adults could say anything.

"Sorry, Pym," James smiled apologetically, "But we all remember the last time you flew and just earlier today. I don't think any of us want to relive _that_."

The younger boy just pouted before smiling as his older 'siblings' ruffled his hair.

The adults looked on with amused, but happy eyes at their children.

"Solar Power Cells: Recharged," Vision's head spoke, before turning to face the children. "As I was saying, the Savage Land is quite lovely and I—Oh my. Have I missed something?"

Everyone just laughed at Vision's question as Tony raised an eyebrow at the android's head.

"Man!" Pym sat on the ground as he processed the day's events. "It's been a long day!"

"And it's not over, short stuff," Hawkeye reached over and picked the younger boy up by the scruff of his neck. "There's about 10,000 robots in Ultra-City that need arrows in their heads."

The rest of the children grinned at the pale-haired boy's words.

"So," Tony spoke, "Are you up for some Avenging?"

James winked at his father as he raised his shield, the rest of his 'siblings' right behind him. "Avengers: Assemble!"

* * *

><p><em>I bid you adieu, one last time.<em>

_TsukiyoTenshi_


End file.
